The Games We Play
by AznSage
Summary: A little crossdressing fun at the expense of Duo. Language warning, shounen-ai warning [1x2x1] First completed multi-part from ages ago...was just too lazy to post on ff.net
1. Part I

Part I

The light of the sun beckoned the world to awaken. Finally, it's message had reached the eyes of one certain braided boy, currently residing in a safehouse. 

The American pilot frowned. "What time is it?" His response was a digital clock being thrown at him. "Seven. Why are you up so early?" 

"Well, unlike you, when the sun comes up, I wake up. We have a new mission." 

"What are we supposed to do? Huh? Huh? Infiltrate another OZ lab? Destroy another OZ base?" The excitement in his voice was hardly contained. 

"See for yourself." Heero casually tossed him a printout with one hand, the other still typing. 

"WHAT?!!" The whole house shook at his voice. 

The other three residents of the apartment ran in. "Duo, what's wrong?" 

The American couldn't even answer, he just kept on stammering. Finally, he spoke. "Q-man, _how_ did I end up having to dress up like a girl?" 

"Well," Quatre stated matter-of-factly. "OZ officials will be checking their sponsored facilities for two boys, not a boy and a girl." 

Duo was stammering from this shock. "How is this POSSIBLE?! I'm gonna kill the man who thought of this mission assignment!" 

"I'm just waiting for you to go and change. Then we can leave." Heero closed his laptop and pointed to the packed duffel bag next to him. 

Duo sighed. "Fine. At least lemme take a shower first. This is definitely not a good way to wake up." 

Duo left the four of them eating breakfast in the kitchen while he took a shower. The warm water felt good against his skin after the horrible news. He undid his braid expertly and starting washing it. When he reached for his shampoo, it was empty. It was a bottle of country apple shampoo. He had liked the way it smelled and stole it. He wasn't about to pay money for this kinda thing. Besides, he never usually bought this type of stuff from Bath and Body Works. He took Heero's shampoo bottle, which smelled like strawberries, and used it. He couldn't help but smell the bottle's contents some more. He didn't know if it was because he liked the way it smelled or because it smelled like Heero. 

Ten minutes later, Duo came to the kitchen with his hair still in a messy tangle and a towel draped at his waist. He scanned the room for the alleged articles of clothing he had to don for the next few weeks of school. He scowled when Wufei smirked at him and casually pointed to his camera. 

"Okay. What am I supposed to wear as a girl?" 

"We got it covered. Quatre borrowed some clothes from his sister that they said would look good on you. He also borrowed some other stuff from them for your little act." 

"So what have we got?" Duo stared at the pile. He picked up a thong and sweatdropped. "I have to wear these kinda clothes everyday?" Everyone nodded almost simultaneously. "This is not gonna be a fun mission." 

"Come on Duo, we don't have that much time left. First, take this bra and stuff it, we have to make your body more feminine." 

Duo blinked blankly at the article of clothing. "You don't really mean that I have to wear that do you?" Quatre nodded. "Oh, man." 

***

After around another fifteen minutes of Quatre putting make-up on Duo and finding the right clothes, the blond boy came out to the kitchen. Quatre did a little cough to get everyone's attention. 

"Presenting Ms. Duo Maxwell!" He threw in arms in the direction that Duo was supposed to come out of but nothing came. "Er-hem! I _said_ presenting Ms. Duo Maxwell!" 

"No way! I'm _not_ coming out like this! Shinigami should not look like this!" 

The blond sweatdropped. "Eh-heh-heh. Gimme a second please." Quatre rushed back into the room and pushed Duo out with all his might. The smaller boy was indeed stronger than he looked. "Ta-da!" Duo, who did not look very happy, was dressed in the girl's uniform of the boarding school they were to be attending. 

"Oh, man. The things I have to do for missions." He smacked himself on the head. He sighed. "I guess we can leave after I do my braid. I'll be quick." Duo reached behind him and started to do his hair, only to be stopped before he could touch another strand. 

He looked up to meet the intense cobalt gaze of the Japanese pilot. "Don't. It looks good like this." Duo couldn't stop his face from blushing and was only able to whimper out a response. 

"I agree, Duo. I suggest that you let it brush it first, it's such a mess!" Quatre pulled the still stunned boy and made him sit on the bed so that he could brush his cascading hair. 

Duo snapped out of it and pouted. He wanted to look into those eyes longer. 

"Okay! All done! You're all set to go!" Quatre patted his friend's back encouragingly. 

"Okay! Let's go!" The formerly braided boy, now long haired girl, jumped towards the door. 

"Wait. There's one more thing." 

"Oh come on, I look like a girl now so what else do I have to do?" 

"Your voice. It's too deep to be a girl's." Heero held out a choker. "Here." 

"What's that?" 

"It's supposed to look like a choker but the machine on the back of it should regulate the vibration of your voice box to make you sound like a girl." Quatre took the choker and put it on Duo. "Also, you will have to wear this scarf." 

"Why all the neck wear?" 

"Duo, you have an adam's apple. Girls do _not_ have that. Just lemme put it on." Quatre reached up to the Shinigami pilot and wrapped the soft silk scarf around his neck. "There. And the choker will make you sound more like a girl and raise your voice a few octaves." 

Duo opened his mouth to speak and try this new voice. "Duo Maxwell desu. Yoroshiku." His voice was high and airy.[1] "This voice is going to take some getting used to. So's this whole situation actually." 

"Don't worry, Duo. It's temporary. Now get outta here! You guys are gonna be late for school!" Quatre shoved Duo out the door, where Heero was already waiting. 

End Part I  
[1]I was thinking of Akino Arai's voice then and decided to use it. It would sound good on a female Duo. 


	2. Part II

Part II

"Glad to admit the two of you into this school, Ms. Hellen Maxwell and Mr. Heero Oda." 

"Class, today we have two new students." That was pretty obvious to the class. Each student was evaluating the possibility of dating either the chestnut haired girl or the dark haired boy next to her. "Please introduce yourselves." 

"Hellen Maxwell desu." Duo gave a big smile to everyone, instantly gaining more slobbering from the males in the class. 

Heero scowled. He didn't even know why. He just felt something inside him strike a chord as Duo shamelessly flirted with anyone and everyone possible. A feeling tingled within the Perfect Soldier's stomach. Jealously? Nah, the Perfect Soldier didn't feel anything but pain, suffering, and emptiness. "Heero Oda desu." The entire class shivered at the tone. It was cold, unfeeling, dead. The same thought ran threw all the student's minds. Best to stay away from this guy. 

As they walked to their seats in the back of the room, the boys in the class watched everyone of Duo's graceful steps, only to be shot back a dark look from Heero, who didn't even know why he was doing it. Duo, who was a few steps ahead of him, didn't see and dragged Heero to their seats when the Japanese boy did not sit down next to him immediately. 

And, as predicted, class was boring. Thank the gods for lunch period. Three classes had already slowly passed by and it was noon. The girls and the guys all swarmed around Duo, each gender having its own ulterior motive for greeting him. Heero sat alone at a table far from the door. Never knowing when was the appropriate time, the American decided to play around with the current situation. If he was in a dress, he was gonna bring Heero crashing down with him. 

The Shinigami pilot had separated from the swarm of people surrounding him and dutifully made his way over to his friend. A sly smile passed his lips, one caught by the boy he was about to torture. Heero's facial expression remained intact but his eyes gave away what he felt. Fear. Vengeance was always a sorrowful thing to go through if Duo wanted to wreak it on one's soul. He ignored the boy and turned back to eating. 

"Hee-chan," The dark boy immediately turned his attention back to Duo. This was already not sounding good. "Can I sit with you?" 

The Wing pilot nodded, his eyes briefly glancing over the amount of people in the cafeteria watching and listening to every movement and sound. His face had returned to Perfect Soldier mode and was as stoic as ever when Duo slid down next to him. In his trance-like state of regarding their audience, Heero hadn't noticed the arm that had locked with his. 

_Sumimasen Heero, but you have to learn your lesson for putitng us on this mission assignment._ Duo put down his tray of food and laid his head on his partner's shoulder tenderly. "It's so good to finally be able to have some alone time with you. All those people always around me! It's quite a bother sometimes to even find if you have time between training to spend with little old me." 

Heero finally caught on. The boy that was clinging to him was bent on making it look like they had a relationship. _That's just great Duo. I'm gonna have to protect myself from most of the student body from now on. Just _great_._ "Gomen Hellen-chan. It's just that basketball training is something that may have a big future for me." _What Duo? You thought I was gonna say soldier training?_ Heero tried to look as lovingly as he could at the boy, who was now preoccupied with eating away Heero's sandwich. 

"Well, I guess it's okay then..." Duo trailed off, allowing the dark boy to sigh in relief that Duo wasn't going to push conversation with him further. He knew revenge was coming, but slow torture was always worse. Unfortunately for Heero, where conversation ends, actions begin and he found the American snuggling into him, wrapping his previously locked arm around his waist. Innocently, Duo pretended he didn't see the students watching them. "Oi! Hee-chan, there's my roommate! Umi-chan! Sit, sit!" He gestured towards the seats across from him. The students all returned to their previous activities as they found the intimate moments between The two new students were to leave at that for now. 

"Hey Hellen-chan! Hi Oda-kun!" Umi sat across from Duo. 

"Just call him Heero-kun, Umi-chan! Oda-kun is far too formal!" 

"Ano, Hellen-chan, we didn't know you were involved with Heero-kun. But we should've guessed when he looked at everyone like that in class." Umi tried to stifle a giggle when Heero's face began to turn many interesting shades of red. Duo looked at Heero incredulously, unwanting to believe what he had just heard. Heero was _jealous_? _Yeah, right, Maxwell. Heero the-Perfect-Soldier-unfeeling-bastard Yuy is head over heels in love with you. Dream on._

But the show must go on. "Ano, Hee-chan can be over-protective at times. Don't mind that." He smiled at Umi as he normally would at anyone but his eyes...they told Heero a different story. The Japanese boy gulped slightly as he realized that the look meant he was busted. Duo was going to play that card to every extent that he could. 

"I understand. Afterall, Heero-kun is very lucky to have such a great person like you as his girlfriend, ne Heero-kun?" Heero quickly nodded as Duo was still mentally calculating what he could do to the poor boy. Umi leaned in a little across the table, whispering in a low voice. "And just to warn the two of you, almost everyone is out for your blood. I would be careful if I were you Heero-kun, or at least be nicer." 

Heero scowled at her. "Sorry, I don't do the warm and fuzzy thing." He would rather just fight whoever approached him. And he could probably beat them all anyway, with his superhuman strength and all. 

"Daijoubu, Umi-chan! Hee-chan can take care of himself. He'll leave anyone who tried to beat him up with more bruises than they'll leave him." Unfortunately for Heero, the braided boy had said this loud enough so that all up to challenge were enticed, all beginning to formulate plans on how to 'take care' of their little problem. 

_That should keep Heero busy for a while. Payback's a bitch, isn't it Heero?_ "Come on, Hee-chan! I want you to meet all the people Umi-chan introduced me to!" Duo dragged him so suddenly that the Wing pilot did not expect it and couldn't retaliate. 

Umi followed, grinning after the couple. _They're such a cute couple..._

Outside, Duo had taken Heero to the basketball courts and introduced him to all the students gathered there watching the game. 

The long haired boy scoffed at the players as he and his partner sat by the court. "I beat we can beat them with one hand tied around our back!" 

One of the players, Tasuki, a tall blond with medium build, turned and regarded the boy with anger. He looked suggestively at the 'girl,' making Duo want to punch him in the stomach. "How bout that? The new guy thinks he can beat us!" An uproar of laughter came from all of the other three players on the court. "How bout it? You against us? Winner take all." 

Heero was confused by the last statement but got it when all the players grinned, lust filling their eyes, he knew what they wanted. "Hn." He gave one look to Duo, still with Perfect Soldier mode on his face, not knowing if he should risk it. 

Duo grinned back. He trusted Heero. He knew Heero would be able to beat them. "Go for it. I know you can protect me, just like you always do." The Shinigami pilot regretted saying the last part out loud, knowing it would lead to his confession of what he truly felt for his partner. _Good thing he's clueless when it comes to these things or I'll never hear the end of it._

Heero definitely did not catch on to Duo's hidden message and decided to go with the game of revenge. He leaned down and kissed Duo in a breif but soul searing kiss, something the boy had wanted and dreamed of for so long, leaving the boy speechless as Heero got up. This wouldn't be that hard for him, he was a trained soldier and his speed and strength could have killed them if he wanted to. 

Duo was his personal cheering section. The long haired boy pranced happily up and down the court encouraging Heero on, occasionally being stopped by Umi, who found his energy to be overwhelming. Heero smirked as he played, seeing the looks of envy in every player. After about twenty, Heero was beating them twenty-seven to twelve. As he was advancing for another shot, he made his way quickly around another pair of players. Pausing a good distance from the basket to get a three-pointer, he smiled at Duo, a smile reserved for him that made every girl swoon. 

Duo himself was stunned as well and fell backwards, onto his roommate, who caught him effectively only because she saw it coming. His attention returned to the game and he saw that the other guys were definitely pissed at Heero now. They began to play dirty. 

Opening his mouth to warn Heero of a foot sticking out to trip him, Duo screamed at the top of his lungs when he heard the thud that resulted of the trick. He heard moans of pain from the Perfect Soldier, running up to him immediately to aid him. 

"Daijoubu desu ka? Hee-chan, speak to me!" Heero was clutching his arm, which had broke on the impact of the fall, possibly dislocated, moaning in pain. The Perfect Soldier _never_ shows emotion, no matter how bad a situation turned out. Out of the corner of his mind, he heard Duo yelling at him, and responded with a quiet grunt. He registered the fact that he was still laying on the ground, staring at the sun. 

Duo sighed in relief, his Hee-chan was alright. But those guys weren't gonna be in about five seconds! He spun around to meet their gazes, slapping the guy who had done it. The force of the slap sent him reeling backwards, into the arms of his teammates. All the students present watched, stunned. Sure, they had only knew her for a day but they thought that Hellen-chan was a sweet girl, specifically one who they thought couldn't slap a guy _that_ hard. 

"What the fuck do you think you're doing!?" Duo could only see red, the world holding only him, Heero, and the people he was about to punish. 

Taken aback by the sudden rush of anger in the girl's voice, they retreated silently, unable to respond to her with something other than a stunned look. Duo had left a very red mark on Tasuki's teammate, Vince. Saving them from the oncoming fury was Heero, who had finally got enough strength to sit up and was holding his head from the extreme headache. 

"Stop, Hellen-chan, I'm fine." Duo's mind suddenly forgot the wrath he had felt before and immediately turned to Heero, lending his arm for support. 

"Oi! No you're not Hee-chan! Look! Your arm is shaped like it became dislocated or something and your knee is bleeding so badly! And there's that big cut on your face!" Duo wiped the blood off from a gash emerging from under the messy brown bangs. He took a look into those cobalt eyes, which contained pent up pain. "We should get you to the nurse." He lifted him off the ground effortlessly, guiding him carefully through the hallways, to the little office that belonged to the nurse. 

"Oh my god! What happened to that poor boy!?" 

"Nothing, I'm fine." Heero winced at the pain presented from his knees. 

"Alright, sit down, you two. I'll get some disinfectant for that first." 

Once she left the room, Duo began to fuss over Heero excessively, checking every inch of his body for any more cuts and scrapes. Heero blatantly ignored the boy and focused his attention on trying to put his arm back in place. It was dislocated and Duo did not want Heero to try and set it himself, even if he knew how. The nurse returned, smearing the disinfectant all over the scraped knee and then bandaging it. Duo insisted on doing it himself but she refused, claiming that he had no medical knowledge. After a couple of bandages here and there, they set to the arduous task of setting Heero's arm. Though he insisted to set it himself, Duo refused and told the nurse to do it. They left with a bottle of painkillers. 

A long afternoon gone by, each of their teachers were notified and they were excused from class. Still holding a slight limp on his left leg, where his knee had been scraped, Heero leaned onto Duo for suppport. Slowly, the long haired boy led him back to his dorm room, where he laid his partner down carefully on his bed. Heero was lucky to have one of the few singles in the entire dormatory so privacy was something that was had here. 

"Rest now, Heero. Tomorrow is another day and we'll work on the mission then, kay?" Heero nodded. There wasn't much he could do to protest. Duo gently tucked him in, cherishing the look of vulnerability on the Wing pilot's face. He became lost in his reverie of those cobalt eyes, brought back to the real world by a mumble. 

"What'd you say, Heero?" 

"Arigatou, Duo." He then closed his eyes and fell into the dream world. 

"No problem Hee-chan, after all, I'd do anything for you." 

End Part II 


	3. Part III

Part III

After fussing over Heero for a little more than a week, Duo had definitely become more attached to him. Both felt something above camraderie from this situation. Heero was healing well under Duo's care. Strangely enough, he thought that the briaded baka was more soft and gentle around him then anyone else. He really couldn't see what was really stirring in the heart of the boy because of his inexperience in the department of feelings. 

The mission was almost complete. The virus only needed two more parts before it was complete. Needless to say, both boys would be glad to leave the school behind. 

In the gossip world, everyone still felt that Heero and Hellen did not seem to fit well together. More people went after Heero but he always beat them up pretty bad without getting a single scrape on himself. Soon, rumors were flying around that Heero abused Hellen and that's why she was afraid to leave him. The two pilots ignored the rumors, but later on, the rumors would catch up to them. 

But presently, all was calm. On a day like any other day, Duo waited patiently outside the boy's locker room for Heero. They had no more classes for the day and were going to work on the mission. The locker room opened and the American jumped at the sound, thinking it was Heero. Instead, he found himself looking into a familiar face, that of his fellow student, Ken Takenouchi. Ken was tall, about six feet, with messy dirty blond hair and possesed lean muscles on his arms. 

"Gomen, Ken-kun. See, I thought you were Hee-chan so I was gonna pounce him and..." Duo was silenced by pressure on his lips. He pushed the taller boy off him. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" 

"That bastard Oda doesn't deserve a sweet girl like you." 

"Oh and you do?!" Duo was furious. No one was allowed to touch him unless he let them. 

"Look, you don't wanna scream, trust me." Ken held up a knife to his throat. He pinned Duo against the wall with one hand. The smaller frame of Shinigami could not stand up to him. "Now, if you're quiet and follow me, I won't do anything to that pretty complexion. And don't think that I won't either." 

Duo couldn't push him off him and could only nod in fear. _Oh God, Heero, hurry up and save me._

"Good, follow me. I know a quiet place where we can finish this." Ken pushed Duo in front of him, out the double-doors of the gym and out into a secluded part of the courtyard. 

Back in the gym, five minutes later, Heero looked around for Duo. His bag was casually swung over his shoulder. Duo was never this late. Something must have happened. His eyes could only see red. He pushed through the crowd in the hallway, not bothering to apologize for what he was doing. No one ever gets in the way of an angry Gundam pilot. 

Heero walked aimlessly on campus. He finally got back to the dorms and knocked on Duo's room door. 

"Yes?" Umi answered the door. "Oi! Heero-kun! Have you seen Hellen-chan? We're very worried about her. She said she would come back to pick up her bookbag after P.E. but she never came back!" 

The Wing pilot was definitely surprised. Where could Duo be if he wasn't in his room or anywhere else he looked on campus? "Can I come in?" 

"Sure, sure. Come in." Heero surveyed the room and unconsciously walked over to the window. _Duo, where are you?_ His eyes roamed over the scenery before him, the lush shrubery of the park. While skimming over the scene, his eye caught something odd. A girl, with a knife to her throat. No, not a girl, Duo. Duo with a knife to his throat. He clenched his fist tightly in anger. He growled lowly and rushed out of the room. 

"Oi! Heero-kun! Where are you going?" She looked out the window and looked for the spot that the boy had looked at that made him so angry. "Oi! Oh my god! Hellen-chan!"Frantically, she raced after him to find the rest of the student body and inform them of the latest developments of the new students. Stuff always seemed to start happening since they came in that fateful morning a few weeks ago. 

***

Duo couldn't do anything. He had a knife on his throat and a boy much larger than he was bruising his lips. Ken had slapped him on his left cheek in order to get him to stop squirming and made a few cuts on his neck and skin with the knife. _I know you'll find me soon, you always do._ Shinigami was starting to get a swollen lip and had many scratches and bruises from Ken's assault. He felt very weak as Ken kept applying the pressure of his body onto Duo's smaller frame. His hand started to wander up Duo's dress, onto his thighs. 

Suddenly, the pressure on his body was gone. He looked up meekly at what had happened. 

"How dare you touch what belongs to me!" Heero heaved another punch at Ken and broke his nose. He snarled angrily at the boy when he tried to lunge at him with the knife. He clamped his strong hands on the blade and took it into his hands,crushing it in one movement. Blood began to pour from his palms but he didn't care. This guy touched _his_ Duo! He was gonna pay dearly. 

"I'm gonna break every finger you touched him with!" Heero grabbed the boy's hands and kept to his word. A crowd of students had started to gather around the two boys, a slight semi-circle of girls around Duo, checking on his condition. After a while, Heero stopped beating up Ken and walked over to Duo. He picked up the trembling boy and looked at him tenderly, with pure concern in his eyes. 

Duo curled into Heero's chest, still beating frantically from the rush of adrenaline. He buried his head into the uniform and wrapped his arms around Heero's neck and sobbed quietly. He was a Gundam pilot dammit! And yet he couldn't even do anything to protect himself from getting raped. But the way Heero was reacting was certainly a surprise. _Nah, he probably needs you in good condition to finish off the mission._ His head said that but his heart told him that there was hope. 

Heero stopped for a minute. He turned his head back at the students there. "If _any_ of you try to hurt Hellen-chan, I'll do worse than beat you up." He glared at them, a glare with more anger than that of his trademarked Glare of Death. 

The students gathered around Ken. Sure they didn't like Heero but trying to rape Hellen was just wrong. They each gave a few extra kicks of their own. Some had seen the look on Heero's face when he picked up Hellen, a look very different than his previous mask, a look that made him almost human. They held a great respect for him after that, even though they still didn't like him that much. 

***

After a quick stop at the nurse for some lotion that would help with Duo's bruised cheek and scratches, they returned to Duo's room. Heero sat down on the bed, still allowing Duo to cry into his shirt. They were in the same position they were in when the Japanese boy had saved him. The long haired boy was shaking uncontrollobaly, occasionally mumbling something into Heero's already drenched shirt. 

Another few minutes led to Duo finally exhausting his strength to cry any further. He didn't realize that he was still shaking and that two strong arms were wrapped around him, caressing him gently. 

"Shh...it's okay Duo, it's all over now. Nothing will ever hurt you as long as I live." 

Duo began to cry again. "I'm so sorry Heero! We're Gundam pilots and I let you down! I...I...I..." He sniffled again. "I'm so sorry!" He broke down into another heave of sobs. 

The door flew open, showing that Umi finally got back from the little gathering outside. "Oi! Hellen-chan! Are you alright?" She knelt on the floor and shook Duo's hand a little to get her attention. 

"Hellen-chan is still in shock. She's either ignoring you or she just couldn't hear you." 

"Oh! That's horrible! Here, I got you some soup for dinner, just in case you guys wanted to eat something." She handed Heero a take-out container containing some soup, noddles, and a little meat. "Heero-kun, it's probably best if you stay for the night and take care of Hellen-chan. I can tell our teachers tomorrow that you guys need to be excused for medical reasons." 

"Hai." Umi left the room, leaving to find her own dinner. Carefully, Heero used his left arm to lift Duo and his right arm to hold the container and walked over to the table, placing the food down. He sat down on the chair and opened the container, putting some of its contents on a spoon. He then shook Duo a little to get his attention. "You have to eat, you know. Come on, open up." 

Duo stirred from his previous state and fearfully opened his mouth, afraid of what was to come. When the hot soup hit his tongue, Duo winced and dug himself deeper into Heero's shirt. His fingers scratched Heero's neck a little as he tightened his grip. The Wing pilot realized his error and blew gently on the soup to try and cool it. 

"Here Duo, eat it." He attempted again. Duo refused, he shook his head wildly and buried his head into the nape of Heero's neck. "Duo, it's not hot anymore. Remember I said I won't let anything hurt you? Well, see, it's cold enough now. I'm sorry that it was too hot before. My mistake, stupid Heero. Okay? So now eat it." Heero edged the spoon closer to Duo's mouth again. This time, Duo turned his head and drank it, little by little. 

He gave a shy smile to indicate that it was good and Heero continued feeding him, alternating between giving himself and Duo a little bit of the noodles, soup, and meat. 

Eventually, it was getting late. Heero told Duo to go to sleep but the boy had refused to let Heero go back to his own room. He was still a little scared. So Heero agreed. Neither could sleep at all and ended up talking instead. Not about school, the war, the past, or missions, but about more happy things. The Sandman took pity on them and soon granted them sleep. 

Coming in at around one in the morning, Umi peeked into Duo's bedroom in the dorm and smiled. "Kawaii." was all she said to the peacefully sleeping Duo and Heero, quiet serenity surrounding the place. She stalked over to her room in the dorm and closed the door quietly behind her, giggling giddily about her friend's fortune. 

End Part III 


	4. Part IV

Part IV

Heero woke up next morning, slightly confused from morning amnesia.[1] As his vision slowly cleared, so did his mind. He was in a sitting up position, but not quite so because he was leaning against the headboard. His whole body felt heavy, and then he remembered why. 

Duo was still sleeping, his hair loose over the entire bed, his head laid against Heero's chest. He possessed one of the most angelic smiles on his face, happily snuggling and curling against the foreign warmth. He was mumbling incoherently, his minds still in the land of dreams. Their uniforms were disheveled from previous events. The Japanese boy's arms were still around him, one at the waist, the other on his chest. Heero blushed when he thought how strange it would look had Duo been a real girl. 

"Oh good! You're awake!" Umi stuck her head into the room, a silly grin plastered on her face. "You want breakfast, Heero-kun?" 

Heero was about to say no but his stomach begged to differ and growled loudly, but not too loud as to wake Duo up. He shrugged it off and laid still. "Never mind, I can't get up anyway." 

"Well, I can bring you it. Then you can feed Hellen-chan when she wakes up, kay?" Before he could interject, her head popped back out of the room as fast as it came in. 

Which left Heero staring at the sleeping form. His face was outline by the morning sun, making him look ethereal. His skin, a creamy white color, looked like silk in the light. _Yuy, what the hell do you think you're doing thinking about your partner like that!? He'd be digusted with you if he ever found out._ Heero sighed at his thoughts and said to himself "Then what are you trying to do? Drive me insane? Stupid hormones." 

"Hm? Who are you talking to?" 

"Duo!" Heero stuttered in surprise. He hadn't expected him to wake up yet. "Good, you're finally awake. I was wondering when you'd get up." 

"Good morning to you too, Heero." 

"Umi-chan is going to bring us breakfast soon. I couldn't get up and she has to bring it in." 

"Oh, sorry. I'd get up but I feel like a Gundam just fell on me." 

"S'okay. Sleep as long as you want." Duo fidgeted around to find a comfortable spot, only to be surprised by someone entering the room. 

"Hellen-chan, you're awake! That's great, you do need something to eat after that little incident yesterday. Here, I'll leave this with you guys, don't wanna be late for class! Ja ne!" Placing the tray wiht noodles next to the bed, she winked at Duo before she left, leaving the boy staring at her outline in shock. What _was_ that girl up to? 

"Here Duo." The American turned and found a spoon practically shoved into his mouth. 

"Heero, don't you have physics? It's your favorite class and I don't think you should stay here just cause I'm a little injured." 

The Wing pilot wasn't sure which surprised him more, the fact that Duo knew physics was his favorite class or the fact that he was so subdued. Every other time they shared a room, Duo would start the morning with a pillow fight or something of the sort. Heero just blinked at him, suprised and speechless. 

"Heero? Earth to Heero?" 

Heero snapped back into the reality and his blank look changed to that of concern and tenderness. "It's okay. I have to take care of you don't I? What kinda friend would I be if I didn't help you? Besides, you're not a _little_ injured, you're seriously injured." 

Duo laughed at him. "What do you mean? I only got a few cuts and bruises here and there, nothing serious." The boy smirked. "Heero, are you, dare I say it, worried?" 

"Baka!" Heero shot him a trademarked Yuy Glare of Death. He wasn't about to admit it to himself, much less Duo. Unfortunately, his partner was immune to the glare after receiving it for such a long time. 

Duo gleefully jumped up and down on the bed, yelling "Isn't that cute? Heero is _worried_!" and burst into streams of laughter. The Japanese boy thought differently of the matter and immediately threw a pillow at Duo. "Come and get me Heero!" The long haired boy jumped up and down, avoiding every swing, his own exuberance had gotten a few smacks on Heero. Heero glared at him and went for another hit. Duo dodged, only to be brought to his downfall, literally and metaphorically speaking, when he stepped on his own hair and lost his balance. As fate dictated, he fell forward right onto Heero. 

The two didn't move for a long while, but stayed there just staring at the other. Duo was perfectly confused and scared to move, thinking the slightest movement would startle the boy under him. But it was a whole different story for Heero. The Perfect Soldier mask fell and was replaced by a look of utter amusement. He began to shake uncontrollably after control had long slipped through his fingers. He covered his mouth with one hand, still shaking. 

Duo's eyes went wide. What was wrong with the boy? "Heero! Daijoubu ka?" He shoke the Japanese boy up and down and yet he stilled failed to respond. "God dammit Heero! Speak to me!" 

The next thing that happened made Duo's eyes go wider, if it were possible. The sound that he heard, it was of Heero...laughing? The American pouted, he didn't really understand what was going on. "What the hell was that about Yuy? What the hell is so damn funny?" 

Still laughing, only a little less this time, Heero replied. "You." 

Duo gave him an annoyed look. "Well then, Mr. Yuy, if you think that worrying about you is funny then I guess I should just not worry about you." He folded his arms and turned away from Heero. 

"Gomen Duo, but I wasn't laughing about that. I was laughing at the way your face looks like when it's confused. It looks kawaii." 

Duo jumped at that. "Whoa! Heero you okay buddy? I swear I just heard you say something looked cute! Or maybe it's just me." Duo mockingly walked over to his partner and touched his forehead, checking his temperature. "I know we're just joking and all, but that's taking it a little too far. Don't say things like that, it totally freaks me out." Somewhere in the Perfect Soldier's heart, it hurt. Duo didn't want him to call him these kinda things? That was just great, Duo was definitely not interested in him. Of course Heero was wrong. Afterall, feelings are _not_ his department. 

"Hai. I won't call you kawaii anymore." Heero's stomach growled again that morning. He had been used to not eating for a while, but he hadn't exactly eaten a healthy meal for three days. Duo always ended up eating most of his lunch, preferring to spend time with his 'boyfriend' than eat with his friends. Heero didn't realize it was because Duo liked him more but, deep down inside, neither really minded the other's company. As he motioned for Duo to sit, he pondered why Duo looked so agitated when he himself had looked like he was having a seizure. 

"But seriously, Heero, what did you mean by seriously hurt?" 

Heero couldn't say. If he said it was because he loved Duo and that Duo had confessed he was afraid of relationships just yesterday night, he would have definitely blew his cover. Duo had also cried most of the night, saying 'oh god it hurts!' even after he fell asleep. So he had to lie. "You told me last night you were afraid. And that this wasn't something you'd forget easily. And I--" Duo's hand stopped him mid-speech. Yes, it had hurt Duo deeply, but he was more than willing to forget about it by spending more time with Heero. Heero was the one who could erase the pain. But he wasn't about to tell him that. 

"Ano, Heero, it's great that you're worried about me but I think that it's best to forget while we can, ne?" 

The Japanese boy agreed. It would be better to put this behind them when they could, because it would definitely cause much commotion with the student body. Afterall, everyone liked Duo at least a little. "We should probably eat before it gets cold." 

"Aa, and we should thank Umi-chan later." 

"Speaking of your roommate, what's with her? She's always looks like she's plotting something." 

"Maybe you should talk to her about that, not me. I don't wanna question her because last time I did that, she made me steal some of your spandex." 

Heero looked pissed and stunned. "_Why_ did you do that?" 

The American shrugged. "Even I don't remember. We were talking about Fushigi Yuugi and I decided to ask her about what she was doing that she couldn't tell me and she only responded with babbling something and then BAM! Next thing I knew, I was sneaking in through your window stealing your spandex." 

"When did this happen? I'm usually around to notice if you came." The boy was distraught at his less than observant habits involving keeping count of how many pairs of spandex he had. 

Duo blushed at the question. "Well, see you were taking a shower..." He left it at that. If he had told Heero that he stayed to watch, he would have definitely been mad at him. Best to leave it at that, for now anyway. He didn't really know if the Perfect Soldier even thought of him highly at all. 

Both boys stayed silent at this turn of events. Heero was definitely shocked that he had failed in his abilities as a spy and soldier, to protect his clothes. Duo was having an internal battle over if he should change the subject or just run out of the room. 

But then again, Duo's mouth always worked faster than his head. "Uh...let's eat, ne? I'm still kinda hungry." Unfortunately for him, the American has just gotten himself a temporarily slobberfest over one Heero Yuy quickly slurping up his noodle. And the unfortunate part was that Heero caught him. 

Staring incredulously at Duo, Heero swallowed the last of his meal and said, "Duo, you okay?" Then he proceeded to lick his lips in the most delicious of ways, according to one very distracted Duo Maxwell anyway. 

"Huh? Uh...yeah, I'm fine." He felt his face turn red and his heart beat go beserk 

"Then I'm taking a shower. After saving you yesterday, I didn't really get a chance to do that." 

Duo gave the best pout and puppy dog eyes he could. "Don't leave me...I'm still scared." The Japanese boy was definitely worried. Never had the usually cheerful Shinigami held such fear in his eyes. Except for once, a long time ago, but Heero shook the thought from his head. He went and hugged Duo, surprising both of them from his actions. It just felt like the right thing to do. 

"It's alright, Duo. You're fine." Heero reconsidered his previous decision. "How bout I stay here and we'll just for Umi-chan to come back before I go and take a shower?" The long haired boy nodded his consent and his violet eyes began to droop. "You must still be tired from everything that's happened. Here, go to sleep." Heero gently placed Duo on the bed, tucking him in as well, and bade him to go to sleep. Duo complied and fell asleep soon. 

And that left Heero alone with his thoughts. He sighed in frustration. The last time Duo looked like that was when he had tried to commit suicide. He refused to tell anyone why he had attempted to do the deed but he had indeed seemed disturbed. He came home from a mission, violet eyes dead. It was late, so Heero was the only to receive him upon return. After placing him on his bed in their shared room, Heero left to find the first aid kit. When he had returned, he could not find Duo anywhere in the room. Frightened, he looked in the bathroom and there lay Duo, in the shower, bleeding from his slit wrists, the alleged knife tossed next to him. 

Heero had never been able to understand that one phenomenom. Duo had to be put on anti-depressants for over a month after that. When asked why, all Duo could say was "Heero." Everyone wondered if there was something indeed disturbing that the Wing pilot had done but evidence proved otherwise and they were still worried over this mystery. Duo only never did that again after promising Wufei and Quatre that he would never try and commit suicide. There was just something not right about the fear... 

Yes, the Japanese boy was definitely worried. What could have made the normally happy Shinigami pilot afraid of something? He sighed, very tired from lack of peaceful sleep. The boy that could possibly hold the key to unlocking the humanity within him was his biggest concern at this moment, sleep could wait. But he was only human and eventually, he too fell asleep, arms wrapped protectively around a certain long haired baka. 

***

When Umi returned to her room later to bring Hellen-chan lunch, she noticed that both were sleeping. Mentally, she told herself that this was healthy for them, seeing as to the ordeal from the previous day. So she left the food by the first package of food for them. 

When passing to observe the two though, Umi noticed the frown on both's lips. Duo was shaking slightly as well and had REM[2] in his dream state. His lips were opened slighly and moving the slighest bits and mumbling something incoherently. When not moving, the lips marred the peaceful face with a frown. Heero was quite similar in facial expression, though his frown conveyed a more angry sense. His arms twitched slightly every few times, as if moving them in his dream. They still laid as bands of steel protectively around the long haired boy. 

If Umi didn't know better, it was as if they were having the same dream and sharing the same fears. But then again, she could've been right. She was gonna have to talk to Heero personally about Hellen-chan's sleeping disorders. And about many about things regarding their relationship and rumors that were spreading like wildfire. 

End Part IV [1]You know, in the morning when you wake up and you don't recall anything for a while? Happens to me sometimes. [2]Rapid Eye Movement. 


	5. Part V

Part V

Waking up in those arms felt good, right even. Duo didn't like his partner that much in the beginning of the war but started to feel more for him. He had lusted after him only recently, even though he hadn't really realized it himself, thinking it was only the stress of the war getting to him. Heero was still asleep, the only time when his face was not swept into the negative emotions of guilt, pain, anger, and concern. 

Wait what was that last one? Concern? Nah! Duo shook his head slightly to brush the thought away. Surely he had only imagined that one. Heero Yuy was the Perfect Soldier, trained since childhood to not feel and only fight. There was no room for a feeling as obscure as concern. And guilt. Heero had always felt guilt. For killing that one little girl...the most innocent of innocents... 

Duo thought harder. Why had Heero even told him about that? It was such a personal matter that it shocked the Shinigami pilot that his partner even wanted to talk of these things. The past was the past, but each one of them were haunted by their own...never being able to leave their own personal hell. Duo shook his head again, gently so as not to awaken the boy he was laying against. _Glad I wasn't you Yuy. At least my past didn't involve some smelly old guy saying I couldn't laugh and had to kill._

He sighed and snuggled closer into Heero's chest. At least he could do this now. Who knows what kind of revenge the Perfect Soldier had in store for him after this was over? He had to play it out to its greatest extent. Besides, he liked being Heero's koi. 

The American's thoughts drifted back to more important matters, like taking a shower. His hair was a rat's nest at this point and it didn't really help that he had continually cried into it. Or was that Heero's shirt. Duo couldn't really remember. He just remembered that it felt good and something soft and gentle was stroking him then. _Why the hell can I only remember half of what happened?_ He sighed. _The exhaustion, Maxwell, that must be it..._

Slowly, Duo tried to pry off Heero's arms from around himself. _God dammit! Even when he's asleep he has superhumand strnegth!_ The struggling boy in his arms woke Heero and he smiled a faint smile at Duo. 

"Ohayo." 

Duo looked at him stunned. He hadn't expected him to wake up. "Ano...Ohayo." He chirped. "Oi, Heero would you mind letting me breathe? I couldn't pry off your arms." 

The Japanese boy fought hard to fight off an impending blush and failed. "Gomen." He regretted having to loose his grip on the boy he adored. The boy he had been so close to losing just yesterday. But he did anyway so as not to get the American suspiscious. 

But the again, the braided boy was always observant and smirked. "You know, you've been blushing _so_ much more recently. What's with that?" Heero was speechless. He hadn't thought that the braided baka had even noticed, much less would comment on it. "What s'matter, Heero? Cat got your tongue?" He inched up from where he was laying on Heero's chest to bring himself to eye-level. "Or is it me?" He breathed these words sensuously to Heero's ears, sending a shiver down the Japanese boy's spine. 

Heero could feel himself begin to lose control. _This is DUO. He's playing with you. He doesn't mean it._ He let go of a breathe that he didn't know he had been holding and sighed. _Oh come on, you know you wanna do it. _

And who may you be? 

Your hormones, at your service. 

Go the hell away! I need to get in control. NOW! 

Oh come on, Duo's throwing himself at you. Just take it. 

It's Duo, he's playing with me. Heero kept repeating this in his mind like a mantra after quashing his body's attempts with it. 

"Heero?" Duo was sitting on the end of the bed, with the soles of his feet clasped together and hands clutching them, looking very confused at his friend. 

"Uh..." He damned his vocal cords for still not working. "I think I should take a shower." The short-haired boy pushed out of the bed and practically ran into the bathroom, slamming the door shut as he did so. 

Duo gave a sly smirk as Heero ran and then sighed to himself. _Damn Maxwell, you got more guts than you think. I was so sure he was gonna punch me._ He sighed again. _K'so! It's only a game Duo, it's only a game._ He kept repeating this to himself in his mind, embedding it into every crevice. _I don't like Heero. He's my best friend. This was only a game to get revenge for this whole dress thing. _

Oh come on Maxwell. Stop lying. 

I run, I hide, but I never lie. So I might as well just accept this. There's something between us, I just don't know what. Hopefully it's just lust. Then it'll just all blow over and I can get away with this incident with only a black eye. 

But then again, there's just something about Heero... 

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by his bathroom door flying open to reveal a somewhat flushed Wing pilot. "Oi, Heero, is everything okay?" 

The Japanese boy just nodded and quickly sat down next to Duo. "Is it okay if I leave for a second? I need to get some things from my room so that I can stay in here for a while." Reluctantly, Duo nodded. 

"I guess I'll just eat the food that Umi-chan brought back before. She should be back soon anyway. Class is almost over." 

"Hai. I'll hurry back okay Duo? Just promise me that you'll stay put." Duo nodded. He got up and placed a chaste kiss on Duo's cheek before leaving the room. The American just sat there, surprised at the turn of events. 

***

_K'so! Why the hell did I just do that? Oi, Kami-sama, help me! What the hell is going on with me all of a sudden?_ He sighed and continued his walk down the dorm halls. Heero's room wasn't that far from Duo's, only a few hallways down. He quickened his pace so that he could return to his Duo as soon as possible. And even though he was making good time, Heero's luck was never that good. 

"Yo, Oda. Wait up." Tasuki and his cronies. Heero groaned mentally. They didn't sound very glad to see him and he quickened his steps even more so than before. 

"He said, wait up!" An arm grabbed the Japanese youth's shoulder, only to be shrugged off. "Oh so now you're too good to even talk to us, huh, Oda?" 

The Wing pilot stopped and turned to face them. No one ever got in the way of a Gundam pilot. Ever. "Look. If you wanna talk so much, talk to someone else. I've got places to go." Heero turned again and started to walk away, then was stopped by an arm grabbing his shoulder and a blow connecting with his left jaw bone. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" He was furious. Not only were these five idiots in his way but they dared to punch him. 

"Hey, you don't wanna talk so we'll just skip right to assumptions and punshiment." Another blow. And another and another. Heero blocked most of them but some still got him. There were just too many and it was too sudden. He managed to hit down two of them but then got hit hard in the gut and slammed his head against the wall. Slowly, he dropped to the ground, his vision blurred, and he was out cold. 

***

Umi walked into hr dorm room and found her roommate, not only out of bed but pacing frantically. "Hellen-chan, daijoubu ka?" 

Duo turned and faced her, fear clearly etched into his features. "No. Everything's _not_ okay. Hee-chan's been gone for too long that I'll bet something happened to him. And it's all my fault!" He threw his hands up in the air exasperated and sat back down and began to cry. 

"Oh...Hellen-chan, I'll go look for him okay? Just stop crying. I'm sure Heero-kun would not like for you to be crying." The American nodded and wiped his tears away quickly. "I'll be right back." She sauntered out of the room and closed the door quietly behind her. 

When in the hall, she looked frantically for Heero. She even asked a few people and none said they had seen him anywhere. Eventually, she got to the boys' dorm hall and found him there unconscious. Shocked, she ran over to him and began to carry him back to Duo. 

"Hee-chan! What the hell happened?! Who did this to you? I swear to God that I'll kill whoever it was!" 

"He can't hear you. I think he's unconscious." She laid down Heero onto Duo's bed. "I think I should get the nurse. It was too far from where I found him so I just brought him back here. I'll be right back." She left Duo alone to grieve for the time being and to spread the horrible news. 

The long-haired boy clutched Heero's hand tightly. He throughly checked Heero for injuries, like he would usually after missions. He found a concussion, couple of bruises, and a few broken ribs. He could feel the tears begin to well up in his eyes. 

"God dammit Heero. Why do you always do this kinda thing? Why do you always get hurt because of me?" He choked back a few sobs. "God, why do I always hurt the ones I love?" 

Duo began crying again but a soft touch on his face made him open his eyes again. They fluttered in amazement as Heero wiped away the tears that marred the pale face. "Don't cry Duo. I hate it when you cry." 

"Heero! Who did this? I swear I'll get revenge." The conviction in his voice was clear. 

"It's great to hear that you're not as scared anymore but I don't think revenge will get you anywhere. We're already fighting a war outside of this school. Why cause one in it?" 

"God...Heero, don't say that..." 

The door flung open revealing some not so happy girls, all friends of the beautiful Hellen-chan. Duo quickly wiped away his tears, not wanting to reveal his infinite sorrow. 

"Oh my god, Hellen-chan, daijoubu?" One of the girls walked over to Duo and hugged her tightly. Duo nodded, not once lifting his gaze from his once again silent friend. There was only one thing that burned in his mind at that moment. Revenge. 

From Shinigami himself.   
End Part V 


	6. Part VI

Part VI

Heero saw the look. It never left him. He was just laying there on the bed, not moving at all. Not that he was actually able to anyway. But he saw it. Duo's eyes were just looking at him, still filled with the life that the boy was famous for, but with another spark in it. One that was familiar to him but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. But there _was_ one thing in those eyes that he recognized. Sadness. Anger. Revenge. 

But there was definitely something else, and Heero swore he would find out. That is, if he didn't want any harm to come to anyone. He knew that look and he didn't like it. With the huge mix of emotion that was Duo at that moment, he couldn't risk Duo feeling anything that Heero couldn't immediately recognize. It was dangerous, not for him but for the civilians around them. How would they react if they had found out that there were two Gundam pilots amongst them at the moment? Not well, that was for sure. He closed his eyes to silently contemplate what was actually happening. 

Heero sighed in defeat. There was just no way he could think clearly right now with all those injuries. There was just no way that he could win that easily right now. _Duo_ was the most important thing right now and _Duo_ needed to be healed emotionally. Not himself, but Duo. 

The Wing pilot sighed in defeat. He just couldn't put his finger on it. He felt something for the boy that was beyond camaraderie. WAY beyond camaraderie. There was just nothing he could do about anything at the moment. So he watched. 

He watched as all the girls went up to Duo and hugged him tightly. Heero inwardly laughed. If only they knew he was a boy, they would have probably using this same type of ploy to flirt with him. But that would have gotten Heero angry. And he would have probably ended beating up all the girls in the school, making it obvious to Duo that he felt something. That was definitely not what Heero wanted. He wanted to figure this out by himself. Even if it killed him. 

He felt a pang of something pulling at him. What did the American call it? Oh yea, jealousy. Jealousy for the fact that these girls were probably what Duo was looking for in a soulmate, someone who was kind and sweet and innocent. Heero cursed inwardly at himself. He was scarred by war and atrocities that shouldn't even happen to a fifteen year-old. And he also felt jealousy because they were the ones comforting Duo, not him. He was just lying on the bed, useless and needing them to care for him. He shifted slightly on the bed, turning his head away from an annoying beam of light that decided to shine right on his eyes. 

"Hee-chan? Babe, you awake?" Heero nodded slightly. "There are some of our classmates who are concerned about you. You wanna talk to them?" Heero shook his head sternly, to show his disapproving attitude of talking to anyone. "You wanna talk to me about what happened? You can just pretend they're not here okay?" Heero froze. Duo wanted a heart-to-heart talk with him, his voice showing genuine tenderness that he had never seen for such a long period of time, and had called him 'babe.' He smiled a little to himself, nothing too obvious that would give himself away and nodded. He could never refuse Duo anything. 

"Where do you wanna start? There's a lot to tell." 

Duo smiled slightly. "How bout with how you got beat up so bad by just going to you dorm room?" 

"Five guys. One with a baseball bat. Took me by surprise from the back. Ninmu shippai." 

Duo's grin grew larger at his roommate's normal 'ninmu' talk. Short and straight to the point, just the way he liked it. "As long as you're safe, nothing else matters." The American leaned in and hugged Heero, not wanting to let go again. Everytime he let go, something happened to Heero. May it be jumping off a thirty story building without a parachute, an attempted self destruct, or maybe just getting into fights. "By the way, who did you recognize from the people that beat you up?" 

"Tasuki. Two of the guys from the basketball game. Two others unknown." The girls all began to talk amongst themselves about this revelation. Tasuki never caused trouble before, it just surprised them that he would do such a thing. "Cause of fight: because I refused to talk to them and continued walking back to my room to get my stuff." 

Duo was definitely angry now. What the hell kinda stupid reason was that?! "That was why they beat you up!? Why I'll fucking beat the…" 

A curt finger silenced Duo, per usual. "Shh love. These things happen. They probably just misunderstood why I wanted to hurry, that's all. Just a simple misunderstanding, nothing to get so worked up about." 

The long-haired boy had to agree, there was no other way to respond to that. He'll just do what Heero asked for now and get revenge when the time was right. "Hai. I promise I won't try to kill them." _Just make their lives a living hell for a while, that's all._

Almost as if on cue, Umi re-entered the room. "The nurse said that she's too busy so she gave me a first aid kit with all the stuff that we'd need and access to some painkillers, if necessary." She set the box down on the nightstand by the bed, next to Duo. "Hellen-chan, if you want, I can do first aid on Heero, I _am_ certified, ya know?" Umi offered as politely as she could, knowing that she would be refused, but did it to show her friendship and support anyway. 

"It's alright. I can perform first aid very well, thank you. I'll be fine. Just gimme about two hours and Hee-chan will look good as new." 

"Well, then, we should all be going back to our rooms to leave you to your care. Good luck Hellen-chan." All the girls smiled warmly at Duo and gave him a last farewell hug before leaving the room. 

"Bye." Duo waved goodbye as the door to his room in his dorm closed. Turning to Heero, he said, "Go to sleep Heero, they're all gone now. I'll just wrap you up and put some makeup on you to make those marks less obvious okay?" 

Heero nodded and began to yawn. " I'm feeling a little tired from all of my activity this morning and this whole getting beat up business anyway. I wouldn't really mind getting some more sleep." With that, the Japanese boy fell into a deep sleep filled with dreams and hopes that he never had before. 

The same dreams and hopes that were at that moment bandaging him up and praying for a better tomorrow.   
End Par VI 


	7. Part VII

Part VII

Duo woke up a couple of hours later, head resting on Heero's taut stomach. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked up at the lithe form that laid in front of him. 

"Finally decide to wake up, sleepyhead?" 

The American perked up at the call and looked right into Heero's eyes. "Musta dozed off a little there…Gomen." The boy got off his patient quickly and began to check his wounds again efficiently. 

"You know, I can take care of myself Duo." 

"Yes, but God knows what stupid thing you'd decide to do when you give yourself any medical care. I mean, popping your own goddamn knee back in is_not_ the best of ideas." 

Heero smiled. Duo actually cared. Duo. Actually. Cared. Those three words sounded very good to him. 

"Well, all done. There you go perfect soldier boy." The American patted his companion's shoulder non-chalantly. "The ribs will heal pretty soon, as long as you don't get outta bed or something." He smiled. "But now if you'll excuse me, I have…things to attend to." The delicate smile turned into one of a more predatory glow. And Heero didn't like it one bit. 

"Where're you going?" 

Duo got up and shrugged. "Oh, no where in particular. Just gonna wander around campus. I think I need some fresh air. Stay here okay?" 

"Answer my question properly. And no, I will not stay here. You're still hurt, from Ken's assault. Whether you'll admit it or not, you're still afraid of walking out there alone where you know that there'll be even more sick perverts who would try this kinda crap." Heero tried to bite down a snarl but couldn't really help it. "And I know that right now you're gonna do something stupid. I can see it in your eyes." 

The boy was shocked to hear so much from Heero. The second shock came when he realized the depth of those words. He could feel hot tears welling up in his eyes and begin to stream down his face. And he felt upset, depressed, helpless. Strong arms wrapped around him and started to stroke his back slowly to comfort him. 

"Why?" 

"Because…they hurt you. You mean everything to me, I can't let that happen again. I can't let Shinigami destroy everything I love." Soft whispers fell to his deaf ears as Heero calmy started to lead him back to the bed. "No! I'm not staying! I'm gonna go kick Tasuki's ass RIGHT NOW! That sick bastard doesn't deserve to live!" He wiggled out of the Japanese boy's iron grip and began to run for the door. 

Only he was stopped. His body felt like jelly as Heero pulled his arm and body back quickly with one strong tug. Even when he was injured he was strong. Damn him. "No Duo! You are not going anywhere!" Heero could feel his ribs protesting to any physical movement but he didn't care. Duo was what he cared about. 

"No! Lemme go lemme go LEMME GO!" Duo's voice was getting desperate and he opened his mouth and bit right into the hand that was holding him. Heero, with his lighting quick reflexes, grabbed Duo with his other hand on Duo's other arm. He held the boy as tightly as he could and slapped him hard, right hand connecting with left cheek. 

Both boys started panting, both too shocked from what had just happened. "Gomen Duo…but you were getting hysterical." The dark haired boy shook his right hand away, as if to purge it of the sin it had committed. 

"No, it's okay Heero. I think I needed that." He rubbed his cheek a little. "Of course, you never knew how much strength you have. I think it left a mark." Heero walked up to him and stroked the cheek tenderly. "Come on Heero, stop fussing over me. It'll be gone with a little make-up. Trust me." 

"No. You're injured. It was my fault. I take responsibility." He cursed the hand print on Duo's face and cursed himself for doing that. "I lost control. The situation could've been handled differently." 

"Stop blaming yourself. You can't control what you don't understand." 

Nani? What _was_ this boy talking about? Heero couldn't understand what he was doing? "Explain." 

"Emotions. You can't control what you don't understand. It's not your fault. Besides, you're right. I shouldn't go out looking for trouble. I lost control there. I let _my_ emotions take control of me." 

Heero stared at him blankly. Yes, he understood what Duo was talking about with emotions but what the hell did the boy mean when he said his emotions? Did Duo feel something for him? "Explain." 

Duo felt a blush come to his cheeks. He wasn't really ready to admit to Heero anything. But when in a game, everything is uncertain. So he gave up and opened his mouth. And shut it again. He did this a couple more times. He really didn't know how to start. Taking in a deep breath, he closed his eyes. Before him flashed various images. Heero when he first met and shot him, Heero jumping from the facility without opening his parachute, Heero self-destructing…the list went on and on. And all these images pained him because he saw the boy get hurt. And then he remembered when Heero was happy, he was happy. When Heero was sad, he was sad. And he had always felt drawn to the mysterious Japanese Gundam pilot. Then, finally, the words came to him. There was only one way to say it. "I love you." 

***

So there in the silence of the room hung three words that meant the world to both of them. Heero's eyes were wide. He didn't know what to do. He knew what he felt but he just never anticipated the possibility that the feelings were mutual and reciprocated. Damn Dr. J for never teaching him about human emotion. 

Carefully averting his gaze, Duo began. "It's okay if you don't feel the same way. I dunno, it's just been since this whole crazy mess began that I actually realized that I like, no LOVE, you. Before that, I just thought it was because I was worried that you would be hurt and we wouldn't be able to win the war and protect the colonies. But I was wrong." Duo looked from his hands to Heero's face. "Say something anything. Even a 'go away' would do, just _say_ something!" 

Heero's hands moved of their own accord and pulled Duo closer. The grip was tight, but Duo didn't struggle or complain. Instead, he dropped his eyes. He couldn't look at the Japanese boy right now. Maybe not ever. A cautious hand slowly lifted Duo's head up form his chin to meet Heero's steady gaze. 

"Duo, you have to look and listen carefully when I say these words." Duo nodded and braced himself for the worst to come. "I…" Whatever Heero had said came out as a mumble. 

"What?" Duo seriously did not hear it. It came up too fast and too low. 

Heero groaned. He sighed and resigned himself to his fate. "I said, I love you too." 

"Yeah, yeah, I'll go awa…waitta minute! Did you just say you love me too?!" The excitement was clearly in his voice, the joy emanating from his face. He flung himself onto Heero and practically tackled him onto the floor. 

"Ow! Duo! Watch it! I'm still injured!" 

"Oh, yea. Whoops, gomen." Duo couldn't help but giggle. He was just too happy to hear that. 

"Awww~! You two are just sooo kawaii~!" A high pitched female voice was at the door. "Isn't that a little dangerous a position for your koi, Hellen-chan?" 

Duo blushed. How was it that this girl always managed to get back to the room right when they were having a moment? "I know. I'm getting up." Duo lifted himself off of Heero and then proceeded to help him back up to his feet. "I'm feeling kinda tired. I think I'll turn in for the day. Hee-chan, you should probably stay here. If you wanna sleep, I won't mind sharing my bed." 

"No, that's alright. I think I've had enough rest for a while." Heero turned to Umi. "But I am quite hungry. What time is it?" 

"It's around nine at night now. If you're hungry, care to join me for dinner?" She did an over-exaggerated curtsy as an invitation and gestured towards Duo's room door with her hand. "Shall we?" 

"Hey! Don't go stealing my boyfriend Umi-chan! He was mine first!" _And will always be mine._ Duo giggled after his roommate. "Save some for my breakfast 'kay?" 

"Sure! And I would never dream of stealing _your_ boyfriend! I mean, he's so smart and handsome and…" 

"Less talk, more food, okay?" the Japanese boy in question remarked succinctly with still a slight hint of amusement in his eyes. 

"Sure! Nighty-night, Hellen-chan!" She was replied with a light wave of his hand. Umi slowly closed the door behind her and turned to Heero, her face stern, without the light mood that it held only mere seconds ago. "Heero-kun, we have to talk."   
End Part VII 


	8. Part VIII

Part VIII

Heero's eyes went wide. Whatever the hell she wanted to talk about couldn't be good news. She had this serious look that he had never seen on her before, one that looked quite odd on her, as a matter of fact. 

"I saw that mark on Hellen-chan's cheek. What the hell happened?!" She was angry, very angry. All this time, she had thought Heero wouldn't abuse her friend in any way, but she was wrong. She was never wrong before. 

"Hellen-chan was getting hysterical. That was the only way to calm her down. She wouldn't listen to reason so force was required." The Wing pilot had slipped back into the familiar calm of war with his alter persona as the Perfect Soldier. 

"No matter how crazy a situation gets, it doesn't mean that you have to slap her!" Her shaky hand pointed at the door of the aforementioned, her lips trembling at her words. "You're stronger than her, so just hold her down or something! I mean, look what you've done! You've slapped her! You've marred her unbridled image of you being the greatest human being on Earth!" 

"Are you finished?" Heero's head hung low, eyes shielded by his bangs, his tone calm and dangerous. Umi could only nod slightly. "Hellen-chan doesn't think I'm perfect, not in the sense you think anyway. She _knows_ that I am not perfect. I am a disgusting creature, ruining thousands of lives every passing day. She loves me out of pure lust. I don't even believe it myself when she said it, no matter how earnest it was. I can't even believe it when I say it myself. Do I love her? I think I do. But I'm not sure. I may never know until I can figure out the mess called my life and learn these feelings." 

"But can't you see that she's head-over-heels for you?! She's so goddamn honest that it would make Jesus Christ look ashamed!" Frustrated, she plopped down onto a chair and slumped onto the table. "Why can't you people just be normal?" She was practically sobbing. Umi slammed her fist hard onto the table. "Goddammit! Why can't I have normal friends?!" 

"Look, Umi, you don't understand about Hellen and me. We're different. We don't belong here. It's like we're from a completely different world and dropped on Earth by mistake. It's impossible to understand us." 

"I don't understand you people…you claim to love her, but you are always scaring the living daylights outta her. I guess that's what love tends to do, ne?" 

"I don't know, Umi. I grew up without love. I don't know what love is." With his head head hung low, Heero walked out of the dorm room quietly. He needed some fresh air fast. 

***

When Duo woke up, he had a strange sense. There was something very wrong, something missing. He looked around. He smelled nothing, he saw nothing, he heard nothing. No, check that last thought, he heard sobbing. Giving a speedy glance at the clock, it read 12:00 AM, three hours later. He walked outside his room while quickly tucking his hair into a pony tail. Then, he saw Umi crying into the table, her arms folded under her and her face hidden in the pile of limbs. 

"Umi-chan…daijoubu?" 

She quickly registered Hellen's voice and wiped her eyes, answering just as quickly with a "Hai, daijoubu." 

Moving with the speed and grace given to him by years of street life, Duo sat down by her. "Come on, I know something is wrong. Just tell me." She shook her head vigorously. "Onegai?" He said that line so dripped with honey and warmth that she could not refuse. 

"It's Heero-kun." 

Duo looked puzzled by this. What could his Japanese friend have done to the poor girl to made her cry for such a long time? "I know he's difficult to be around, but you guys can work through that. Hee-chan's a nice guy." 

"How can he be?! He doesn't even act like he loves you at all! How do you stand it?" 

"Knowledge comes with a price, Umi-chan, it's best you don't know." 

"Oh yeah? Then prove it." 

"Prove what?" 

"That he loves you." 

"Nani? How?" 

"Tomorrow is the auditions for 'Romeo and Juliet.' They're looking for couples with real chemistry so that they don't screw up the scenes. I'm auditioning with my koi tomorrow. We won the audition for 'Sleeping Beauty' last year and the audition for 'Much Ado About Nothing' the year before that. If your love can beat ours, then I'll accept that he really loves you." 

"Wow, I did _not_ know that." 

"Know what?" 

"How did a girl like _you_ even manage to get a boyfriend?" A pillow flew at his face and laughter ensued after that, tragedy forgotten. In his mind, Duo knew that even getting Heero to agree to this was going to be a task that proved his love. Or at least part of it. 

***

"No." 

"Onegai?" 

"No." 

"Pretty please with sugar on top?" 

"No." 

"Hellen-chan, it's useless, just give up already." 

"No! Hee-chan loves me enough to voice it to the world! So _please_ Hee-chan? Do this for me?" He batted his eye lashes a couple of times at the Wing pilot, hoping his ploy would work. 

The Japanese boy had to agree. What else could he do? He tried to work all morning and that was impossible since his partner had been bugging him all morning about it. He hadn't really wanted to accept this challenge of their love, afterall, he wasn't sure of himself. With a final sigh, he nodded his head. 

"Yay! See, Umi-chan? You just gotta do the right thing to get Hee-chan to agree! Now, when exactly is this audition?" 

"It's in an hour, so we should hurry and get over to the auditorium and practice our lines." 

"Hai! Hee-chan, go put our costumes in the bag please?" 

As he picked them up, he noticed something. "Tights?!" 

***

"Okay, we have our cast." 

Duo was bubbling with nervous energy. Throughout the whole entire ordeal, he had been a nervous wreck, wondering one minute to the next whether his feelings for Heero were showing or not. Somehow, he just knew, just _knew_ , that the Japanese boy was probably also depending on this to prove their love. 

_What if he doesn't pick us? Then Heero will go weird and wonder if he made the right choice. And I may lose him again…maybe even forever._ His heart pounded as the director flipped through his list and monotonously mentioned the people who were to be casted as the other characters. 

"…and the person playing Juliet will be Hellen Maxwell, so Umi Takaishi, who was also vying for that spot, will be playing the nurse. Heero Oda will be playing Romeo. I congratulate all who made their wanted parts and all who failed, try again next year. That will be all, see you actors and actresses tomorrow at 4:00 sharp, after your classes end." 

"You made it Hellen-chan! Wow, that's so great!" 

Her congratulations and that of many other passerbys was almost left unheard by the Shinigami pilot. He had only heard that he and his koibito had made it. They had made it. They had proven worthy. Their love had proven worthy. His grin grew almost manic and his eyes shone with their excitement. His body was brimming with energy at that one little announcement. 

In a soft whisper, the Japanese boy said exactly what he was thinking and whisked him away in his arms in preparation for the day. "I love you." 

All he could do was nod. 

***

The following weeks were a flurry of activity. The two barely saw each other except at rehearsal everyday. And even then, they were ushered away by either costume designers, set designers, the make-up crew, the director, or other players of the show. Their classes had been changed to revolved around the time needed by the director to create his masterpiece. The only time they had were the nights together and even then was it hard to show it, with the mission and all. But when they were too tired to do anything, both reveled in the warm embrace of their love. 

Then the time came. The performance was tomorrow night. It was truly when Heero would tell, show, recite his love for one crazy American pilot to the world. The mission was almost done, the only part left being to kill the infiltrating spy. Someone in this school knew their true identities. Someone in this school was out to kill them. So they had to do it before he or she did it. 

Heero laid on his bed alone, staring at the dimmed ceiling. He was supposed to be sleeping but he had so much on his mind. He had an assassin and love to deal with. The latter was more pleasant to deal with but also more of a handful. So which to do first… 

"Boo!" 

The Wing pilot nearly jumped at the sound, but then recognized the heart-shaped face before him. "Fuck, Duo. You almost scared the shit outta me. With those new orders about the killer, I wouldn't be so damn cocky if I were you." 

"Haha! Don't worry, Hee-chan! He'll never catch us! We're Shinigami and the Perfect Soldier! We _can't_ die even if we wanted to!" 

With that childish reassurance from his koi, Heero smiled. No matter how bad things were looking, at least he'd die with Duo by his side. "Hai, hai. Oyasumi." 

"Awww…you're going to sleep already? But I wanted to _play_!" 

"Duo no baka! We need our energy for tomorrow's show!" The violet-eyed boy pouted cutely at his lover. "I promise, I'll make it up to you _afterwards_, ok?" 

"OK!" The American could hardly contain his glee and started to cuddle into his partner for the night. "Oyasumi, Hee-chan." 

***

Two minutes from the opening act, Duo was no where to be found. And Heero was starting to get worried. Where could he be?! 

After a long search from everyone in the student body, he was still missing. Umi was cast as his replacement and quickly got dressed in his costume. 

It began fine, but after a while, when Romeo was supposed to have developed feelings for Juliet, the dark boy got impatient. He just couldn't act out this scene with Umi. It _had_ to be Duo who he acted it out with, otherwise, it would be wrong! Just plain WRONG! Then, suddenly, between scene breaks, a boy, who Heero knew from his math class, ran up to him holding a note. 

"Oda-kun! This note was found on your dorm room!" He snatched the paper from the boy's grasp and read it with lightning speed. 

I F Y O U W A N T T O S E E D U O M A X W E L L A G A I N , G O O U T S I D E F O R A B I G S U R P R I S E was scrawled sloppily on it. 

Angrily, Heero crumpled it up. He began changing into his customary green tanktop and spandex when a voice stopped him. 

"Heero-kun! Where are you going?" 

"Hellen-chan is in trouble. I have to go save her." The venom in his voice was clear and Umi had nothing to use to stop him, not that she wanted to. This was serious. Hellen-chan was in trouble. She almost felt sorry for whoever it was that was to meet their untimely demise under the hands of Heero Oda. But then again, almost was the operative word.   
End Part VIII 


	9. Part IX

Part IX

Heero stormed angrily through the building. If _his_ Duo was in trouble, whoever did it would meet _his_ fist. Cursing under his breath about his carelessness, he went outside and warily scanned his surroundings. Nothing was extremely unusual, so he waited. 

Instantly, Heero's eyes were covered by a thick sheet of cloth and a hand was over his mouth. A low raspy voice said to him "Move and he dies." The Japanese boy could only comply and nodded his cooperation. He was then dragged to a secluded place in back woods near the school and the blindfold and hand was removed. When he turned, his captor was no where to be seen and he recognized the woods as where he and Duo had stored their Gundams. 

"Where is Duo?" His voice was laced with menace and definite pain for the person who had captured one of his comrades, and possible love. "Show me where he is _now_." 

"Of course, of course." The same raspy voice replied from the trees above him. Heero could have sworn it sounded snake-like. "Just follow the path and you'll get a big surprise." 

The Wing pilot quickly stalked down the path, not caring for personal safety. Occasionally, a branch would scratch him and created a large cut on his arm. But he didn't care. Duo was at stake here. 

When he reached the end of the road, there was definitely something wrong. He felt it in the atmosphere. There was just something completely off about this kidnapping. He surveyed the area again and noticed a little letter on the ground. In neat Japanese characters, it read: "Walk one miles north-northeast. Shinigami hunts there." 

As the Wing pilot ran through the forest in said direction, he could swear he heard snickering from the trees. _Calm down, Yuy. It's probably just a damn squirrel. Just calm down and find Duo. You're just being paranoid._

Finally reaching his destination, he saw a small cabin. There were two windows on each wall, allowing him access to the insides of the cabin, and welfare of his dear Duo. But, when he tried peeking inside, the shades were pulled down right before he got a chance to even glance into the cabin. 

Getting extremely pissed, he began to stalk to the front door, bent on breaking it down and surprising the living shit out of whoever was inside. Unfortunately for him, he heard a cell phone ringing in a nearby bush and picked it up. 

"Yes?" He gritted his teeth and it produced a harsh grinding sound. 

"Well? Where are you? We're waiting for you! Go inside already, geez!" Then a click indicating the person hanging up. The voice was different, but he was sure as hell as to who the attitude belonged to. Immediately, he put his gun back in its spandex space.[1] Grabbing the knob angrily, he slammed the door open and moved his fist towards the left side of the door. Angry fist came in contact with a now broken nose and the Japanese boy fished around for a light switch. Success came within seconds. 

"Aw…Heero! You ruined our fun!" 

"Duo! What the hell did you think you were doing, running off like that! You had me worried sick!" 

"Well…it's a long story…" 

"I'm listening." 

Before Duo could finish taking his breath in preparation to explain what happened, someone came into the cabin. "Heero! Uh…surprise?" 

It was Quatre, closely followed by Trowa. So Heero wasn't hearing things. It _was_ the blond who was snickering in the trees earlier. Quickly piecing together who did what, Heero went back to glaring at Duo. 

"Eh…maybe I'll explain after Wu-man comes to, huh? You hit him pretty damn hard." 

The four went to investigate the welfare of their partner in crime and was happy to him stirring already. "K'so. I think you broke my nose, Yuy." 

"Phew. Wu-man's okay. Just being his goddamn charming self, I guess." 

"Hush, Duo. Or should I say Hellen-chan?" They began to playfully punch each other on the shoulder. 

Meanwhile, Heero turned to the remaining sane people in the room. "Why are you here?" 

"Mission." How like Trowa to know what exactly to say in the least possible words. 

Heero quirked his eyebrow up and allowed Quatre quickly go over the events. "We received new orders that there was spy here and we had to come and help you infiltrate and kill. Not only must we kill the spy, but we must also delete the school's computer records. The headmaster has been bribed by OZ and he is said to work for them as well. They know that one of the Gundam pilots is here. Only two though, not five." 

"That explains why you're here but was 'kidnapping' Duo necessary?" 

"Well…that was his idea." 

"It's more fun than a play!" the braided boy called from his play fist fight with Wufei. "And I'm sure you don't want the guys to see you in tights!" 

Heero growled low and continued his interrogation. "Your disguises?" 

"One male, two females." 

"Uh…what exactly would that entail?" 

Trowa smirked. "Well, it isn't me." 

That most certainly got Heero's attention. Sure he could picture Quatre as a girl. But, Wufei? Hn, so Wufei was going to be a girl. Well, things just got more interesting. 

"I managed to put you and me in the same room, Heero. Quatre, Wufei, and Duo will have to share the room with whoever is Duo's current roommate in that housing. On the plus side, I got them a bigger room and it is closer to us, so mission work might be slightly easier. This spy is going to be hard to catch, so keep on your toes." 

The Japanese boy nodded stoicly as he always did after mission reports. His and Duo's safety were in danger. He couldn't risk that. This mission needed to be completed ASAP. "Ryoukai." 

"So, guys, wanna get into your disguises and head back with me? I'm sure Heero running off from the play has Umi-chan worried." 

Quatre blinked. "Who's Umi-chan?" 

"Oh, you're gonna love her! She's the coolest!" 

Suddenly, Heero felt REALLY sorry for Wufei. 

End Part IX  
[1] Where _does_ he put it?   
Gomen! This part was so short! >_ 


	10. Part X

Part X

"So these are your friends, huh, Hellen-chan? Well, it's nice to meet you all!" Umi walked up to Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei and enthusiastically shook their hands. "Awww…and another couple! Boy are we gonna have some fun talking about stuff! Hey, Wufei isn't attached is she? 'Caused I'm sure that there'd be lotsa guys who'd want to go out with her!" 

"Heheh, course not Umi-chan! Wuffie isn't attached at all! Isn't that right, Wuffie?" 

"The name's WUFEI, Maxwell!" Wufei lunged for Duo and Umi started laughing her head off. 

They had just arrived at the girls' new room, after informing Umi and settling a little in their new environment. Heero stood stoic as ever by the door, mindful not to get pulled in by Duo at any given chance. Trowa sat next to Quatre on their new sofa, his arm gently wrapped around Quatre's waist. Umi sat on the chair across from them smiling and laughing at Duo and Wufei's antics. As far as she knew, they were just old friends of Hellen's and always did this. 

"So what brings you guys here?" 

Wufei pushed Duo off of himself and swished the dust off of his uniform, not wanting to appear unlady-like and ruin the disguise. "We're here because of Hellen-chan." 

Quatre cut into his explanation. "You see, we just couldn't possibly go to a school where our oldest friend isn't, so we tagged along. Isn't that right, Tro-chan?" Trowa blushed at his pet name and just nodded. 

"Awww! You guys are so cute! This is so perfect! I have a sappy couple for entertainment AND an angsty-doesn't-know-where-they're-going couple for entertainment! Wai~!" 

The three newly arrived Gundams pilots gained a new twinkle in their eyes. Sure they knew that the two had suppressed their emotions for each other, but to actually have it resolved to some extent that Heero and Duo were actually a couple? It was too much. 

"Hellen-chan! You got a boyfriend? When? Oh, you must tell me!" Quatre gushed at Duo and made those innocent-looking puppy dog eyes. Duo grinned at his best friend, there was no keeping secrets from him. He would find out eventually anyway, so now, to make it as painless for himself and play a little with Heero. 

"Yes, Maxwell, do tell us who exactly would have the horrible fortune of falling for your charm." 

The American scowled at him. "Big words coming from a girl whose been bedded by one of our teachers before. You remember Mr. Khushrenada don't you?" At Wufei's face-vaulting after that, Duo knew he had successfully gotten rid of Wufei, who would most likely have helped Heero just to go against him. 

"Oh. My. God. Is this true?" Wufei blushed a deep crimson. "Ohmygoditstrue!" She rushed up to Wufei and looked right into 'her' eyes. "Tell me…was he hot?" 

Wufei sweatdropped immediately. "That's it! This conversation is OVER!" The Chinese boy rushed into the bathroom, mindful of Heero seeing that he was beet red. 

One down, one to go. Trowa was going to be much harder to work with, seeing as how he didn't talk or get embarrassed. If Duo was lucky, maybe Trowa would side with Quatre and help him freak Heero out. 

"So, Hellen-chan, back to you. How could you not tell your friends you got a boyfriend? And one as hot as Heero-kun too! Tsk tsk." Umi waved her finger in mock shame and smiled at Duo. 

Well dang. She had better memory than he thought. They came for a show didn't they? Well, Heero would be willing to provide. Hopefully without getting _too_ pissed off. 

"So…Hee-chan. I guess we can't hide it anymore." The Japanese boy glared at him. 

"Hellen-chan, what in the name of the world are you doing?" Heero started getting edgy. His mind told him that he should run as far away from Duo as he could when he got that look in his eye. But his body was not only not moving, but it was awaiting the next move that Duo would make, in hopes of relinquishing some hormones that were steadily not in use before. 

"Oh, Hee-chan…" Duo latched himself onto Heero, their bodies intertwining and began to suck at the Wing pilot's neck. Heero lost his grip on control and could feel himself melt against the wall and the blood rush downwards. 

"Heero is your boyfriend?!" Quatre jumped off the couch with such surprise that Trowa had to hold him up to make sure he steadied. "Oh Allah, I should've known." 

"Yes, but you would never expect them to be together. Not with Heero always being _that_ way." 

Umi blinked in confusion. "What way?" 

At this moment, Duo chose to unlatch himself from the Japanese boy and run towards the point of conversation. He loved acting and he sure as hell wasn't going to pass up any opportunity. "It's a story as tragic as time is old, as classic as Shakespeare." Duo made a fake sniffling sound and continued. "I loved him, he didn't love. It was sad, soul-shaking, horr…" 

"Maxwell, don't you ever shut up?" Wufei had decided at this point to step out of the bathroom and join the merry war. "How 'bout _I_ tell the story…the _proper_ way?" 

"But…" Before Duo could give any rebuttal, Quatre held his mouth shut and made him sit quietly on the nicely carpeted floor. 

The Chinese boy cleared his throat and began. "You see, we all went to school together when we were younger. Heero was a silent boy, never really talked to anyone. But when silent boy meets silent boy, they befriend each other easily due to special communication powers beyond my understanding, and thus, Trowa became his best friend. Unfortunately, Trowa had to leave to go with his family business at the circus and Heero did not make another friend for a long time. He became silent, suicidal, and very very scary." He emphasized the last part with a widening of his eyes and a wagging of his finger at Umi. "He vowed never to show emotion again, since it had only caused him to lose a friend and hurt him greatly. Of course, people age, and as time passed, a genki girl called Hellen Maxwell transferred to Heero's school. Hellen was followed by many people. Her closest include Quatre and me, though, how I got roped into it, I still have no idea. I think it had something to do with drugs hitting me on the head and I actually don't…" 

"Wufei! That's enough of your rambling! You're going off tangent! I'll tell the story!" Quatre smiled brightly and Duo could only sweatdrop at the blond's insistance. "When Hellen first transferred to school, she seemed happy. But every happy person has a dark secret. For you see, Hellen-chan was abused by her step-father at home. He would beat her every night, until her mother came home, which would be when he went to screw her. Hellen's mother had no idea of the ongoings in her home. She only thought her daughter was too busy with schoolwork to come out of her room. Then one night…it got bad." 

The Gundam pilots blinked at Quatre. He had been watching waaaay too many soap operas when they had no missions… 

"Hellen had already harbored feelings for Heero, expressing it only to me, Wufei, and her PC journal. One night, when her mother was away for a business meeting and wasn't going to be back for a weekend, her stepfather caught her typing on it about her undying love for Heero. In an overprotective rage that comes with any rapist stepfather, he slapped her very hard and knocked her onto the floor. At that precise moment, Heero rang the doorbell. The sound echoed through the empty house. Heero got worried. Hellen had always been there to happily receive him for dinner, so where was she? He took a walk around to the other side of the yard, where Hellen's room window hovered above. The light was on and he lightly threw a stone at it to see if she would respond to it. Nothing. Momentarily, he caught a glimpse of Hellen, struggling to get away from someone who was obviously holding her against her will. In a furious rage, he broke down the door and ran to her assistance." 

Umi sat, pillow pressed against her legs, listening intently to Quatre. Her friend sure had an interesting life so far… 

"When he got there, he saw her father trying to rape her. Hellen was unconscious from a concussion on her head from one of her heavier schoolbooks. Heero grabbed a chair from the dining room and broke it over her stepfather's head. Not knowing his own strength, he beat the living shit out of him. He hurriedly carried Hellen to his own home and called the police from there. Coincidentally, Hellen's mother had died in a car accident in that week as well, and Hellen was now an orphan. Heero had insisted that Hellen stayed with him, seeing as how she wouldn't respond to anyone else after the trauma. My parents legally adopted Hellen and, as far as the government knows, she's part of my rich rich family. But she always stays at Heero's house instead." 

Quatre took a breath and continued. "So what exactly does this have to do with the present you say? Simple. Hellen's feelings for Heero multiplied ten-fold after the incident and she was head-over-heels in love with him. Heero never showed emotion, so even if he did fall in love with her, no one would know. To everyone else, he was Hellen's guardian and no matter what anyone did, he would always hold the key to her heart. Unfortunately, we were all worried she would get hurt because of the unrequited love. And that's when my Tro-chan comes back into the picture." 

Heero and Duo glared at Quatre. The blond was having a little _too_ much fun telling this story. Next time they go on missions, they musn't let him read romance novels either. 

"Trowa returned to the same school Heero went to, his family finally deciding to settle down. Heero finally had someone to talk to about the important things in life. He released his emotional blocks when speaking to Trowa and let it all out. Trowa found out everything. Of course, what Heero didn't know was that Trowa and I were involved, and Trowa told me everything when it involved the welfare of not one, but two of our dear friends. So we plotted." 

"Quatre, my pet, I think you have talked enough for a day. Allow me to finish." Quatre nodded lightly and took a seat next to the tall boy, leaning on him heavily. He needed to calm the adrenaline rush he had just gotten from improvising that story. 

"We plotted, the two of them got together, and now we're here." Heero, Duo, and Wufei smirked at Trowa. Leave it to him to shorten everything. Umi and Quatre glared at him and Quatre gave a cute little pout to show his distaste. Of course, Trowa mumbled something in his ear and he was happy again. 

Wufei stretched lazily from his seat. "I think they'll be checking for curfew soon. You guys best get back to your room. We'll rendezvous later." The two boys nodded and left the four giggling girls behind, all of them trying to squeeze out of 'Wuffie' as much information as they could about Treize Khushrenada. 

Solemnly, the boys walked down a little way back to their own room. Silence reigned. After opening the door, Trowa was first to speak. 

"Heero, we have to talk. There's something you should know about why Duo chose to skip the play." 

Heero grimaced. He didn't like this. Not one bit. 

End Part X  
*sweatdrop* I think I've been watching too much TV... 


	11. Part XI

Part XI

"Heero, we have to talk. There's something you should know about why Duo chose to skip the play." 

Heero grimaced. This wasn't something he was willing to do. He was never really good at the talking situations. He was more of a blowing-things up kinda guy. But if it imvolved Duo and was important enough for Trowa to say more than three words, he knew he had to listen. 

He flipped the lights on for their room casually, hoping to not allow his fear of the upcoming conversation be too apparent. Trowa knew. Trowa had to know already. And if he didn't, he was going to know today. 

Trowa sat across from Heero, in his normal silent manner. He could see Heero fidgeting slightly, sweat beginning to collect on his forehead. Seeing him like this was too much and he let out a low chuckle. 

That snapped the Japanese boy out of his haze. "What? What's so funny?" He tried his death glare on Trowa, knowing that it would not result in anything but more laughter. 

"Heero, I would have never imagined that you would be nervous." The tall pilot straightened up and looked Heero in the eyes. "I know emotions is not your forte, but neither is talking for me, but look, I'm doing it. Overcome your fear Heero. Open up." 

Cobalt blue eyes fell in defeat, his body visibly slumping into the chair, as if the weight of the world were suddenly on his shoulders. "I try Trowa, I really do, but I…" 

"…don't want to get hurt. Yes, we all don't want you to, but sometimes, it's easier to face things. At least you would know, instead of having to wonder all your life what may have been. Closure, Heero, closure." 

Heero sighed. He had to accept it. Those words rung true. "Fine, Trowa. But tell me what you were going to say." 

"First I need to hear you say it." 

"Say what?" 

"What you feel here." He pointed to his chest, indicating his heart. "About Duo. About anyone." 

Heero bit his lip. He wasn't acting very childish, but unfamiliar territory always recalled some instinctive actions that seemed childish. "Do I have to start with Duo?" 

"About anyone is fine." Trowa thought for a moment. "How about Relena?" 

The Wing pilot lit up. "That one's easy. She's like a sister to me. Sometimes, even a mother." 

Inwardly, Trowa smiled. It was something to start with. "Then why do you react so harshly to her advances? Shouldn't a brother be kind to his sister?" 

"Sibling rivalry. Which one of us can bring peace to the world first? By war or by delegation? Besides, I don't really think incest is my point of objection here. It's more like the first time I saw her on the beach, I didn't feel it. It wasn't there. She was more of a stranger than anything else." 

"It?" 

"Yeah, you know _it_. That intensity you feel with the one you love, that feeling that makes your heart race at the site of them, that electricity in the air. That…spark. Like what you and Quatre have." 

Trowa smiled. This was definitely progress. "Then who do you feel that about?" 

Heero bit his lip and looked away. He stammered and mumbled, but was unable to answer. 

Trowa sighed, this would take some work. "Okay, then how about we try your emotions about…" He thought for a moment again. "Us. The Gundam pilots. The five of us." 

His comrade took a deep breath to calm himself and answered as frankly as possible. "We are a family. There are no secrets between us. Well, not many at least. Or maybe at least one other person would know. You and Quatre are like the parents, the heads of the family, keeping order, making sure we all feel okay, feeding us, cleaning up after us, doing laundry, helping us become better people. Wufei is like an uncle to all of us. He's distant sometimes, but when we need him, he comes to us. He teaches us morals. He's always there for us to run to." Heero paused. 

"And Duo?" 

"Duo…is something else. Something…more." Trowa shot Heero a perplexed look and Heero took another breath and continued. "Well, let's say you were all body parts of me. Quatre would be the brain, you would be the legs, and Wufei would be the hands. And Duo? Duo is my heart." 

Trowa smiled. As Heero liked to say: ninmu kanryou; mission accomplished. "Thank you Heero, that was all that I needed to hear." 

The Wing pilot smiled weakly. "Now what did you want to tell me about Duo?" 

Instantly, Trowa became serious again. "He didn't come because he's afraid." His comrade gave him a quizzical look and he continued. "He's afraid not only of losing you, but of just screwing up and making you that silent emotionless killing machine again. He doesn't want you to be that. He's seen you grow into a compassionate human being, even though you may not notice. I mean, helping a little girl find her mother in the park when you should be on a recon mission? That doesn't sound like the old Heero. No matter how much you try to hide it from us, we know. You're not alone in your actions Heero, we'll always be just one step behind you. When you fall, we catch you. You understand?" Heero nodded. "He doesn't want you to become what you were just because he broke your heart, or if you were forced to be something you're not. He wants you to be you, but only if you want to. He doesn't want you to push you to love him if you don't. Do you even know how long he's loved you? Ever since the first time you blew yourself up. He doesn't want to show it because he's afraid it might push you too far. He's afraid of being alone too." 

"You're going to tell Quatre this and Quatre is going to tell Duo so that Duo can be lessed worried, correct?" The tall pilot nodded, a light smile playing on his features. "Then you can tell him that I love Duo too much to hurt him and I swear I will do anything in my power to make sure he is safe. I would give my life for him." 

"Aa, Heero, you can count on me telling him that. At least we both gained something from this conversation." 

"Aa, but you know what we both need that we can't get from this conversation?" 

"What?" 

"Sleep. Let's go to bed, we've gotta meet Wufei early in the morning for the rendezvous." 

"One of the smartest things you've said tonight. Let's go." With that, Heero eagerly jumped into his bed for a night's worth of well deserved sleep. 

***

In the faint darkness, two figures talked, one short and elegant, the other tall and graceful. 

"So that's what happened. Did it suit what you need to tell Duo?" The tall one finished his tale and rested heavily on the tree behind him. 

"That will do but I'm worried about both of them. They both always blame themeselves for something that is merely an act that can't be controlled. They both blame themselves for their past and their inability to stop the war in one day. Don't they realize we are merely children?" 

"Childhood bodies we may be in, my dear Quatre, but the mind of men run in our hearts. They only blame themselves because they are that far gone. They see more than the world does. And they have taken to the responsibility that man should always repent for his actions. They want to save the world in order to save themselves from their own guilt." 

"They are so much alike that even they don't realize it." 

"Aa, my dear, but if they truly are destined to be together, then their paths should bring them together one day." 

"Do you think it will be soon?" 

"Hopefully. For our sake and theirs. This waltz must end." At those words, the sun began its daily journey across the sky, its rays begin to poke through the to the world. "And when it ends, their world shall start anew, in the arms of each other." 

"Let's just hope it turns out that way…" Quatre snuggled deeper into Trowa and fell into a light slumber.   
End Part XI   
Ack, this part was so bad. >_ 


	12. Part XII

Part XII

Heero awoke in his room in a mild daze. The talk he had with Trowa the night before still burned in his mind and he was not too eager to submit to his hormones and his heart completely yet. He still did not believe that he was worthy of Duo's love or if his feelings were reciprocated. Sure, there were always those moments when their hands would brush by and a feeling of electricity would run up his spine, or when their eyes met, it was as if the world itself stopped. But that was not love. Love could not be based on moments alone, it had to be based on what he would always feel for Duo in his heart. 

He pondered lazily about Trowa and Quatre's relationship. They were perfect for each other; they complemented the other in a way that no one else on the planet could. They had their little tiffs over the stupidest of things, but always got over it and returned to the other's arms. They were always taking care of each other when the other got hurt and didn't let anyone else near them. They could communicate without words, but a mere glance, wink, or shrug would mean the same as a sentence. They were what Heero hoped he and Duo could have one day. But... 

The Japanese boy groaned. This was still just a game to Duo. The stage was set just right for Duo to take his ultimate revenge for the humiliation of having to be a girl. Duo _was_ the expert on emotions, so he probably had already clearly read Heero's. No matter how hard the Japanese boy tried to hide it, there were just too many slips over the past few weeks and too many mid-stares caught by the American. Trowa was wrong. No, Trowa _had_ to be wrong. Duo didn't love him, it was all just a game to him. 

He staggered unhappily to the bathroom and looked at the image staring back at him. His face was a bit sunken from the lack of a comfortable rest, his complexion was a bit pale from the lack of healthy food, and his eyes were a bit tired from the lack of emotional stability. He rubbed his temples hard as he realized that if this continued, he would most definitely have to check into an asylum. Hopefully, blowing some things up later would cheer him up. 

After his morning routine in the bathroom and a quick shower, Heero went back out into the main room of the dorm. His mind finally registered that Trowa was missing and had been missing since Heero had awaken. Quickly grabbing the note left for him on the bedside table, Heero skimmed it and got dressed. They were apparently meeting a little earlier so Trowa had left to find Wufei and the rest of them first. Heero sighed. _Right, right. Mission first, love later._

The halls of the dorm building were quite empty except for a few early risers who had decided to go out for some fresh air before class and a few others who just wanted to enjoy the paper before the rush of the day. He made his way quickly to the girl's side and mindfully did not look anyone he passed by in the eye, afraid to bring on the wrath of a female without make up on him. Eventually, he made it to their door and knocked quietly, hoping that he didn't wake any extra genki, non-mission related roommates up. 

He was greeted by the sight of a very cheerful Quatre who looked as if he had overdosed on caffeine. Nodding a greeting, he walked into the room and closed the door silently behind him. He liked their room a lot since it had a bathroom, a large bedroom for four, and a 'living room,' thus separating the sleeping from the awake. Duo walked out of the bedroom at that minute with Wufei in tow, grabbing a cup of coffee before getting down to business. 

"It should be no problem talking now since Umi-chan doesn't wake up until around 7:30 today. We still have about an hour and a half." Duo smiled cheerfully at Heero and plopped himself down comfortably next to the Japanese boy. 

Heero tensed noticeably and glared at Wufei who was enjoying his mild discomfort. 

"Get a room, Maxwell. We need to talk about the mission now, so don't get too cozy with your lover boy there." Duo stuck his tongue out at Wufei and the two went on a staring contest with the other before Quatre told them to stop and finish deciding what to do with the mission. 

Heero ignored the comment and got right back to business. "We need to identify who the suspects are before deciding who is actually the spy. It has to be someone who must have been very well-informed about our student backgrounds if they were able to find out further information on us. Any suggestions?" 

Quatre thought for a moment and replied, "Anyone in the administration is possible. All of our teachers have access to our permanent records, so it wouldn't be that hard to trace our 'recommendations' to find them all to be phony. We're in serious trouble if they find out the other three Gundam pilots are here as well. So far, according to intelligence, they only know that Heero and Duo are here. Though, they still haven't figured out Duo is a girl. They all know how Heero looks like, so all you have to do is keep a low profile, don't attract TOO much attention. For Duo, they're just profiling all Caucasian males now between the age of 15-20, from about 5 feet to 5'6", weighing approximately 100-130 lbs.[1] They probably already know your alias and everything else since the spy would have sent out your student profile back to base and sent for troops. Good thing Duo's application was submitted separately." 

"So, we just have to watch Heero's back, right Q-man?" 

"Exactly. Trowa, Wufei, and I are enrolled in some of Heero's classes, so there will always be at least two of us who can observe around him any suspicious characters as Heero carries out his daily responsibilities. Each one of us females will wear an earpiece to communicate. Since we can't do this for the males, we have to just hope that they can get info to us as soon as possible." 

Before they were able to reply in affimation, footsteps from the bedroom roused them. They all silently turned their heads around and saw Umi slowly getting up and stretching. 

"Ohayo Umi-chan." Both Duo and Quatre chirped at her at the same time. 

"Ohayo, Hellen-chan, Kat-chan, Wu-chan." She blinked at the two boys in the room as well, in quite...compromising positions with their respective girlfriends. "Er...Heero-kun, Trowa-kun, what are you guys doing here at 6:40 in the morning?" 

"We were all going to go off campus for breakfast and come back before classes. But Hellen-chan took too long." Quatre replied smoothly, opting to take the leadership role in this and do all the talking. "Would you like to join us?" 

"Oh! Well, I have some time to kill before class, so why not?" She had a silly grin plastered on her face before she continued. "Besides, this means that I get to talk more to Wu-chan about her exploits with older men!" She made a "V" sign and Wufei glared at her before throwing a discarded soft-cover novel at her. "Just lemme get ready, I won't take that long!" 

The five boys nodded and waited patiently for her to return, all the while making random jokes at Wufei's expense. When she returned from the bathroom ten minutes later, the five set out to have a nice healthy breakfast at a nearby Denny's.[2] 

On their walk over, Quatre motioned to Duo that he wanted to talk to him. Walking a little farther in front of the group, Duo gave the blond a quizzical look as to what he may have wanted to talk about. 

"Duo, when are you going to tell him?" 

The American frowned. He knew exactly what Quatre was talking about and didn't want to answer him. But the blond gave him an insistent look as to knowing the answer immediately, not wanting to solve any riddles or play any mind games with him today. "I don't know." It was a simple answer, but it was true. He was just so confused. One moment, Heero was nice. The next, Heero didn't even know he existed. But was the latter really true? Or just something he'd associated with Heero since he'd first encountered him? 

"Duo, he really does love you. Trust me. I can feel it." 

Duo sighed. "Fine, fine, you're the empath here. But that doesn't mean I will." 

"Duo, he can be dead by tomorrow. You don't know when that OZ spy is gonna kill him. What if it was now? You have to...please? For your own sake, you must do it." 

"But..." Duo really didn't have anything to follow up with that, but he didn't really want to go through with confessing that he really loved Heero. 

"You guys'll have enough time to sort this out. But I want it done before today is over. Got it?" 

"Fine, fine. You know, I could never refuse anything from an old pal like you Q." Quatre smiled brilliantly at him before hopping back to Trowa's side. 

Heero walked up casually to Duo's side and drew him closer to speak to him in private. "What was that about?" 

"Nothing..." Heero gave him a pointed look that told him that he knew nothing actually meant something. "Fine, it _was_ something, but I don't wanna talk about it right now." He laid his head on Heero and slowed his pace. "Let's just enjoy what we have and not think about anything else right now, okay?" 

Heero nodded. These moments with Duo were very well worth it and he did not interject to having some time out of the day to just be with him. 

After a relaxing breakfast, the six returned to campus for their day of classes. Everything was well with the world on that day, until fourth period when the principal personally came to his class and called Heero to his office. 

Heero snarled under his breath as he realized what this meant. He gave a glance at Wufei to tell the others of the recent news and gave a hand motion signal to Duo for back up. Heero got up and followed the man out the room and into his office. 

Duo held his breath when he saw Heero leave. He waited a few minutes before feigning illness and asking the teacher if he could be excused. The teacher nodded and allowed Wufei to take Duo to the nurse when he requested it. Cursing fluently, they ran towards the principal's office, hoping that Quatre could worm his way out of class as well. Critical times like these called for as much force as possible. 

End Part XII   
[1] Yes, I know that those aren't his real weight range, but OZ intelligence is dumb. And this is pre-episode 19/20, where they captured Duo and showed his face on universal TV.   
[2] Yup, Denny's still exists in AC 195. 


	13. Part XIII

Part XIII

Racing down the halls, the two were able to see the door close to the office before their arrival. The two stayed low so that they were not visible through the glass window on the door. Thank god that everyone else was in class right now and wouldn't suspect two girls sitting on the floor in front of the principal's office. Wufei and Duo pressed their ears close to the door to listen in on the conversation inside, careful as to remain unnoticed. 

"So, Mr. Oda...or should I say Mr. Yuy? What's your purpose for being here?" 

"I don't know. We were just told to come here and wait for further instruction." 

"Your superiors didn't give you any information as to why your presence here is important?" 

"No." 

"Well, then Mr. Yuy, that would make your organization quite a disappoinment. I was hoping they were going to at least fill their soldiers in. More fun to torture information out of you than to just kill you off the bat." A gun was cocked and Duo was furious in a second. Only Wufei holding him down was making sure that he didn't burst into the room too soon. "Mr. Yuy, where's your partner. I know he's in this school, but I can't seem to find him." 

"No one said my partner was in this school. We're not sent on dual missions, we report to different superiors." 

"Oh, is that so? OZ intelligence says that there is an unnamed male Caucasian who is your partner in this mission. And I've been doing this for so many years that I can tell you're lying. So, Mr. Yuy, where is he? Or are you willing to die just to protect him?" 

"I don't know where he is." 

"You know I'll eventually kill him anyway. It's only a matter of time before I pick you all off one by one." 

"Over my dead body you'll kill him." Heero chose this moment to kick the large desk over the man and duck from any shots that might have come. He pulled a gun out from the waist band of his khakis and aimed it at the man's head, cocking it quickly. 

"Well, Mr. Yuy, it seems we have a standoff." 

In a moment of anger, Duo broke free of Wufei's grip and kicked open the door. The Chinese man hid himself by rolling to one side of the wall, where he was not visible from the office, cocking his gun as well. 

"Look, Mr. OZ soldier, drop the gun or I'll blow your head into a million pieces." Duo aimed it for a clean shot at the man's chest. 

"A girl? Or information never said that there was a female Gundam pilot." 

Imitating a buzzer sound, Duo walked closer slowly. "Wrong answer. Sorry, but that's incorrect! But you have a consolation prize! A bullet from my gun!" 

Before Duo could pull the trigger though, the man had pulled it on him and kicked his chair at Heero simultaneously. His shooting of Duo was too distracted though and he only got him on the shoulder. The Wing pilot was almost hit squarely on the head by the chair had he not anticipated it and shot it out of the way. 

"Shit!" Duo clutched his shoulder tightly and tried to coax the blood to stop pouring out from his body, but to no avail. It had only been the shoulder, but it went right through the bone and it hurt like hell. 

Before the man could empty his clip on Duo, Wufei had already shot him and he had fallen to the group in a big bloody heap. Their guns had not used silencers, and the door had been busted open, it wouldn't be long before people reached the office and realized what had happened. Wufei told Quatre over their comm that they were meeting back at Heero's room and then getting their asses out of the school immediately. The mission was complete and there was really no need for them to be here anymore. 

Heero spoke soft words of comfort to Duo before tucking his gun away and carrying the boy back gently in his arms. The three made their way back to the room before too much commotion had surrounded the office. By the time they were back at Heero and Trowa's room, the blond and the brunet were already waiting for them there with medical supplies. 

Duo was laid down gently on Heero bed and his wound was cleaned and fixed with what they had. They needed to get back to Sally Po in order to get his arm healed properly. Quatre moved to help Heero take care of Duo, but the Japanese boy refused and told him to go and delete their files from the school's database. 

Quatre left the bedroom and returned to the rather small 'living room' while giving the other two a look that told them they had best get to work with what they could and get their mission report done as well. 

Back in the bedroom, Duo was fast asleep, too tired from the blood loss to be awake. 

"Gomen nasai, Duo." Heero gently brushed the hair out of Duo's face as he laid blissfully unaware. The lights in the room were off and the curtains were drawn so that only a minute stream of light could come into the room. "I'm so sorry for getting you hurt." He squeezed Duo's hand and hugged him before he moved to go outside the room and leave him be to heal. 

Back outside, Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei were already packing the two's personal belongings into their respective duffle bags. The laptop was already neatly packed in its casing, which only meant that the mission report and their information had been deleted from the school's database. Quatre gave Heero a look to tell him to fetch Duo from his room so that they could clean out their stuff and leave. The faster the better. 

Heero didn't want to wake Duo from his slumber, but how else could he get Duo back to his room. He sighed and picked up the lithe form easily, moving very slowly to allow Duo more sleeping time. 

After a long ordeal of Duo awaking and packing, the five were all ready to leave this behind them so that they could get Duo to a proper doctor. Wufei carried Duo's pack and Trowa carried Heero's so that the Japanese pilot could carry Duo and reduce activity from him to prevent further blood loss. They hadn't noticed, but Umi had stepped in on them at that moment. 

"Where are you all going?" 

Five heads perked up at her voice and Duo smiled weakly at her. "You don't want to know, but let's just say we're would've rather stayed." 

"Hellen-chan! Why are you injured? Your uniform is stained with blood!" 

Duo shrugged as non-chalantly as possible. "It's nothing. I got bitten by a dog." 

She looked at the five suspiciously but didn't press further, knowing that they wouldn't tell her anyway. She walked up to Duo and gave 'her' a light hug, followed by hugs to the rest of the pilots as well. "Take care then. Will I ever see you guys again?" 

"Maybe, maybe not. Fate decides that, not us." 

"Then I wish you the best of luck." 

The five said their good-byes and slipped out of her life as quickly as they had entered. 

End Part XIII   
Winding down to the epilogue like conclusion. ^_^ 


	14. Part XIV

Part XIV

Duo fidgeted. He had told Heero to meet him on the hillside on the Winner estate so that they could get some privacy. He had promised Quatre that he'd tell Heero by the end of the day, and frankly, he only had about fifteen minutes left. He had finally worked up enough nerve to confess completely to Heero after some encouragement at dinner from the blond and now here he was figure out just how exactly he was going to say it. 

His shoulder still hurt so he stopped pacing back and forth and twitching every so often. _Stupid Heero, get here already!_

He looked down the hill and saw an approaching figure. Too bewitched by how the moonlight hit him so well, Duo couldn't run up to greet him as he would have wanted to in order to get this over with. He wanted to stop beating around the bush and just move right to the happily ever after part. 

"Duo, are you alright?" 

Duo looked up at concerned cobalt blue eyes and smiled. "Of course I am, Hee-chan!" He energetically bound up to Heero and hugged him. 

"Why are you still calling me that? You don't really need to anymore." 

"But I want to." Heero's breath was warm and comforting to him in the cool night and he drew even closer to the Japanese boy. "Because it wasn't a game to me." 

"What?" Heero pulled back from Duo's embrace in surprise and regarded him for a moment. "Did Trowa and Quatre talk to you?" 

The braided boy laughed heartily. "How'd you know?" 

"They like to meddle, let's just put it that way." Turning serious again, Heero looked back breifly at Duo before finding the night more interesting. "Do you...really mean it?" 

"Well, it was a game at first, but the more I saw you in a domestic situation, the more I could see that you are more than just a soldier. You're kind and gentle, not always a killing machine. We're all imperfect and we all have our hands stained in blood, but we need to live beyond that and find a meaning in life besides obtaining peace. I mean, what are we going to do after we have peace? We can't always just be the world's call for maintaining peace. We have to find our own path and our own lives too. And I have found you." He leaned into Heero for a passionate kiss and drew back quickly to gauge the other's reaction. 

Heero embraced Duo and grinned insanely. He had never felt such joy in knowing that another person accepted him. And loved him. His hormones began cheering and chanting for him to take advantage of Duo but he quashed them and told them to wait. 

"Thank you for finding me." 

"Thank you for falling into my arms." Duo kissed him again, this time their mouths working into a heightened frenzy. They parted for air and Duo buried his head in Heero's neck. "Don't ever leave me. Don't ever die. Don't ever do anything stupid. I wouldn't be able to stand it if you were gone." 

"Never, Duo, I promise. I love you too much to break your heart." 

Duo sniffled. "I love you too." He mentally sighed in relief as he was finally able to say it and truly mean it. "I love you too, Hee-chan." The words felt good on his lips and he was sure to find himself say it more often now. 

Heero smiled and just hugged him back in a gentle embrace. 

-Owari-   
First completed multi-part! ^_^ First completed fic...-.-() But was too lazy to post on ff.net...^^;; Okay, ending sucked, may rewrite it later on. 


End file.
